Revolution's Flame
by Palladin1337
Summary: Haru was just a simple guy from a small northern village. His eyes are opened to the cruel nature of the world when Danger Beasts destroy his home. Taking an Imperial Arms for his own, Haru joins Night Raid to change this nation. But as he begins to fight back, his values and convictions are tested like never before. And he meets someone who is more than just his equal.
1. Chapter 1

There are multiple levels of pain. First, there's the mild pain; the kind you get from maybe pulling a muscle or sleeping badly, the kind of pain that you register consciously but are able to block out almost completely because it's not serious. Then, there's moderate pain; landing badly after a long fall, belly-flopping into a pool, basically the kind that really hurts but won't usually leave a scar. Then there's the far end of the spectrum; debilitating pain, usually the result of losing parts of your body and is normally the precursor to death. Obviously, there's a wide range of variety between those three kinds of pain.

If Haru had to rate what he was going through right now, then he would say that he was definitely hovering somewhere around debilitating pain. He was lying on his bed, his hands and feet bound to the bed posts to keep him from thrashing about as he tried to ride through the binding process with an Imperial Arms. Wave after wave of heat assaulted his body, and it felt like he had swallowed the sun as he bit down on the mouthpiece he had in harder. It had gotten to the point where he couldn't even see the ceiling clearly anymore, though whether it was from the sweat or the pain, he couldn't tell. All he knew, all that he could focus on, was that this thing was trying its damnedest to burn him alive.

As another heat wave struck him, he convulsed, biting down on the piece harder as he groaned. _I will_ not _give into this_ he vowed as he fought to steady his breathing before the next wave came. He had already survived many things he shouldn't have; the destruction of his home, two harsh winters in the mountains on his own, and several skirmishes with Imperial soldiers as a member of the Revolutionary Army. While joining a bunch of rebels had never been a life goal for him, seeing just how bad life was throughout the empire had opened his eyes and forced him to make a choice.

Now he was taking the next step; taking an Imperial Arms for his own. He had applied to join Night Raid, the Revolution's assassin branch, and been accepted on one condition; that he manage to wield an Imperial Arms. So, he now found himself in what he would grudgingly admit was his toughest battle yet. And it wasn't even a fight, at least not in the conventional sense. It was more a test of his resolve as the weapon tried to cremate him from the inside. This particular weapon was the only one that he had reacted to, and more importantly the only one that had shown any reaction to him in return. However, when he had asked about it, he was told that everyone that had tried bonding with it had been reduced to a pile of ashes in less than a minute. Well, he was pretty sure that he had already lasted longer than the others, although pain has an interesting way of warping your sense of time passing.

After what could have been as little as a few minutes, or as long as a few days, he felt the heat subside to dull warmth. Finally able to breathe again, he spit the bit out of his mouth and took a deep breath right before he felt someone splash him with cold water. It was pure bliss, and he quickly asked for more as he relaxed, finally feeling the cramps that had formed through his body due to the strain. Opening his eyes, he noticed a subtle shift in the colors, but not so much as to affect him outright. "So?" he asked, turning his head, "Was it successful?" "You still live, Haru," the doctor responded as he emptied the bucked onto his chest, "That can only mean that it worked." While he worked to remove the bindings, Haru dwelled on that answer. He had an Imperial Arms now. At last, he had the power to effect _real_ change. It was scary, but also incredibly gratifying.

* * *

Wandering through the capital, Haru admired at how people payed him no mind. In fact, a number of them made it a point to walk around him, and no one got incredibly close as if they feared he was contagious. He was walking through the streets of an upper-middle class district dressed in a simple brown cloak with a walking stick. He also wore a blindfold that covered most of his face, from just above his eyebrows to just before the point of his nose. It served the dual purpose of covering his scars as well as giving him a slight advantage over others. To anyone that didn't know him, he appeared to be a wandering blind beggar that had lost his way. However, the blindfold was a special kind of one-way fabric, so he could see perfectly well while others couldn't see his eyes. While it was a little humiliating to have people he didn't know looking down on him and pitying him, it did give him the ability to move around unnoticed and gather intelligence on their targets.

Right now he was fishing, for lack of a better term. Night Raid had obtained information on a wealthy family with a rather twisted past-time that involved the homeless. Hoping to capitalize off his choice of clothes, Haru had volunteered to head into the capital and find them. But, after spending almost two days touring through the wealthier districts, he had yet to come across any of them. _Maybe I'm going about this the wrong way_ he thought as he sat down to rest. Of course, it could be that he was still just too eager to try and make a difference. He had only been with Night Raid for two months now, and this was the first time he had gone off to complete a job on his own. While he would never admit it out loud, he was a little nervous about trying to carry this one out alone, especially since he was in the capital city.

Without realizing it, Haru drifted off to sleep where he sat. When he woke up, it was to a rather bad cramp in his back, and to the realization that it was already night. Jumping up and mentally kicking himself for the lapse, he made his way towards one of their nearby hideouts. _Well, I guess I'll just have to start again in the morning_ he thought. As he came up to a bridge, however, he saw his target in front of him. The daughter of the target family had stopped the carriage she was riding in to talk with a boy that had been sleeping on one of the benches. While not close enough to hear what was said, Haru saw the boy nod and them both smile. They then both got into the carriage before it went on its way again. Grinning at his luck, Haru let them get far enough ahead of him before he started tailing them. While it was horse-drawn, he was lucky that they were in no obvious hurry, so they kept to a rather reasonable pace.

Before too long, he had followed them all the way back to the estate in the upper district. When he saw the security, however, he decided that he was better off staying out of the property. There were four guards at the main gate, and he was willing to bet there were at least twice their numbers spaced around the grounds and inside the house. Too much for him to handle alone without going all-in and risking capture. And since he wasn't exactly the 'stealthy' type, sneaking past that many people was also out of the question.

And so, despite the fact that he had wanted to handle this alone, Haru left and made his way back to the hideout in the lower districts. It was time to call in some back-up. After sending the message off, he stretched out on one of the couches and tried to get some proper rest. If there was one thing he had learned from his time with Night Raid, it was that it was always best to grab rest when you can. As he drifted off to sleep, he began to remember his first meeting with them, as well as his first exposure to their line of work.

* * *

"So, this is the guy they sent us?" Leone asked, sounding amazed. They had all gathered to meet their new member, especially since it was said he brought a powerful Imperial Arms with him. However, the blindfolded guy standing before them couldn't be that person. The short sword sheathed at his back didn't look anywhere near special, and neither did the throwing knives on his hip. "Yes, he is," Najenda replied, lighting a cigarette. For whatever reason, she didn't sound half as concerned with this turn of events as Leone thought she should. Thankfully, she wasn't the only one concerned. "How the hell do they expect a blind man to fight, let alone be an assassin?" Lubbock demanded, walking up to him, "Seriously, what could you possibly offer us?"

"Well, first off, I can see just fine, lettuce-top," Haru responded, getting a small laugh out of Leone, "And I can fight just fine, too." "Oh, really?" Lubbock said, getting up in his face, "Maybe we should have a little test, then? Just to be sure." "All right, I just hope you like cremation," Haru replied, refusing to back down. Before it could go any further, Najenda interrupted them, "Well, as it just so happens we have a job that needs completing. If you think you're up for it, that is." "Wait, you don't mean that guy from immigration, do you?" Mine asked, her voice rising, "But that was my job!" "Which just means that you'll get to help break in our new member," Najenda said as she left, "Oh, and Lubbock? You go with them, too." And with that, she left the main hall, leaving Lubbock and Mine to gape at the door.

"Well, now that that's settled, where do I get to drop my stuff?" Haru asked, pointing to the two bags behind him. Ignoring the glares from Mine and Lubbock, Bulat walked up and said, "I'd be happy to show you to your bed." For whatever reason, this caused a slight shiver to run up Haru's spine, but he ignored it as he grabbed his things and followed. Two rather long hallways and a staircase later, and Haru was looking at the largest bedroom he had ever seen. Granted, it was only 3 meters by 4 meters, roughly, but after spending most of his life sleeping in barracks, or out in the wild, it was luxury beyond compare. "Wow, all this space for just one person?" he asked, turning to Bulat. "Yep, although now that you mention it, it can feel a little empty with just one person," he said, "If you need anything I'm just down the hall, so don't hesitate to ask." Shrugging off the return of that odd feeling, Haru went about unpacking. Thankfully, he didn't have much, so he was done in short order. Flopping down on the bed, he sighed as he sank a little ways into the mattress. _Definitely better than a bunk_ he thought with satisfaction.

"Well, you look comfortable," Leone said, startling Haru and sending him bolting back onto his feet. "Anyone ever tell you not to do that?" he asked, quickly calming himself. "Relax, I just wanted to see if Bulat was giving you a hard time," she replied, waving a hand, "Don't want him scaring off the new guy so soon." "And why would he scare me off?" "You did realize it, right?" she asked, smiling, "That he's gay?" Taking a moment to fully comprehend what she had just said, he was quickly glad that his blindfold covered his face. "Alright, then, I'm locking my door at night," he said, turning around and grabbing his sword. "Heading out so soon?" Leone asked, stopping him from leaving. "Yes, actually, I am. I get the feeling that those other two want to spend as little time around me as possible," he said, looking her in the eye. It wasn't really fair, to be honest, since he was really the only one that could see the other's eyes. But he had learned it was a good psychological trick and had made it a point to use it when he was in a rush. "Yeah, yeah," Leone said, stepping aside, "Just try not to die, alright?"

After meeting with Lubbock and Mine outside and having a short 'discussion' about where to try and hit this guy, they set out for their target's home. They were after an official in the immigration bureau, specifically the one in charge of sending illegals home. He had made a name for himself in the slave trade, selling the younger ones he caught at enormous profit. The older ones, however, were subject to a different form of 'punishment.' When they came up to the house outside the capital, Haru saw that the official had purchased a rather large plot of forest-covered land. When they heard gunshots, the three of them immediately drew their weapons and prepared for an attack. Seconds passed with nothing happening. Finally, unable to stand the tension, Haru said, "Maybe that wasn't for us?" Several more shots in the distance severed to support his suggestion, and Lubbock grudgingly agreed the new guy had a point.

The next few hours were spent searching through the forest to find out just where this guy had set up. When they had finally found where their target and his guards had set camp, Haru had to fight down his gag reflex. The smell alone was bad, and it had been because of it that they had found it so easily. But the sight of so many mutilated corpses in a rotting pile to one side was almost too much. To make matters worse, there were several _live_ people cowering in a cage on the far end of the camp. Clearly, they were the day's 'sport,' and the hunters were out finishing the last batch off before setting them loose. "How… How can someone _do_ something like this?" Haru asked when they had put a bit of distance between themselves and the camp. "Trust me, that's not even the worse of what we've seen," Lubbock said as he checked his gloves. Mine, meanwhile, had opened her gun case and was busy customizing her rifle, electing not to say anything about this cruelty. Taking a moment to steel himself, Haru joined them as they waited for the hunters to return.

It was after dark when they returned with several fresh bodies hanging from poles. There were six men in total, including their main target who was laughing with the rest as they relived the hunt. After allowing them the time to put their 'catch' aside, as well as their weapons, Lubbock and Mine were about to attack when Haru put a hand out and stopped them. "This one's mine," he said, making a decision. "What, are you crazy? You can't take on six guys with rifles alone!" Mine said, trying to keep her voice from rising too much. Smirking, Haru unsheathed his sword while saying, "Just make sure the prisoners get out alive, okay?" Without another word, he stepped clear of the foliage and calmly walked into the camp.

It wasn't too long before one of the men noticed him. The sword he chose to use probably helped with him being noticed. The blade was easily two inches thick and curved up to a point at the end. It had been forged from the scales of a rare Danger Beast, and had left the blade a dark red. The hilt, meanwhile, was stylized in the shape of a flower blossom with eight petals, alternating between a deep orange and a lighter red in color. It reflected the light of the camp fires menacingly as he approached.

"Hey, who're you, kid?" one of the guards demanded, sitting up and grabbing his gun, "How'd you find this place?" Ignoring the man, Haru continued to walk through the camp, holding his sword away from his side. "From hell you have risen," he said as the first man brought his gun up, "And to hell you shall return." Before he could even pull the trigger, Haru was in his face, his sword cutting clean through his arms. Spinning with the strike, he buried a good two inches in the man's chest. Rather than let the body slide clear, he pulled the blade up and used it as a shield as the others opened fire. Silently counting to five in his head, Haru pulsed his own powers into the corpse, setting it on fire immediately. Using the burning corpse as a distraction, he hurled it forward and broke them into two groups. Going for the two on the left, he took the first one's head off before they even realized he was there.

His slash into the second man's chest, however, wasn't as deep as he would have liked. His Imperial Arms, however, saved him the trouble of a second strike as the man burst into flames. Turning to finish the last three off, he noticed two things. First; that the last two guards were smiling at him with their guns lowered. Second; the official they were here to kill was lunging at him with a pair of elaborate brass knuckles. Sensing the danger, he dodged the first punch before trying to jump clear. As the man's fist continued into the ground, Haru saw a brief flash before the ground erupted and sent him flying. "You think you can get away that easily, brat?" he demanded, rushing after Haru. Landing hard, he barely had the time to smack the next punch aside before being forced to dodge the man's other hand. "So, you have an Imperial Arms, too?" Haru asked when he landed again. Staring at him, the official replied, "Of course I do. You think you're the first to try and take my life?"

"Well, I'm impressed with its strength," Haru said as he relaxed his stance, "But, a physical weapon isn't of any use against me." "Ha! As if I'd fall for such an obvious bluff," he replied, "I don't know if that sword is an Imperial Arms or not, but it won't save you from my fists!" Smiling, Haru looked beyond him and his guards to see that the cage was, thankfully, empty. "Mine! Lubbock! Make sure you guys stay well back!" he said, reaching up to his blindfold, "I can't guarantee this attack will stay under control." Off in the trees, they winced at Haru's casual use of their names. If either of those guards got away, they would have problems. Sneering at Haru, the official just raised his hands again, prepared to end this. However, when Haru pulled the blindfold down around his neck, he and as his guards froze.

"You know, you're the first people to see this since I got my Imperial Arms," Haru said, raising his sword above his head, "Too bad it won't be something you can brag about." "I'll kill you, you freak!" the man shouted, rushing him. Smiling, Haru brought his sword down, calling out, "Zündung!" After that, Mine and Lubbock were forced to shield themselves from the ensuing heat. Haru's one attack had created a massive wave of fire in front of him, engulfing the three men, their camp, and a good piece of the forest behind them. After letting it burn for about five seconds, just to make sure everything was destroyed, Haru said, "löschen," while he pulled the blindfold back over his eyes. The flames were snuffed out instantly, like a person blowing out a candle, and Mine and Lubbock were left gaping as their 'newbie' came strolling back to the trees, sheathing his sword and smiling slightly.

"What?" he asked, noticing their looks of amazement. "You have that kind of Imperial Arms? Seriously?" Lubbock asked, being the first to recover. "Yeah, but it's not that impressive," Haru said, scratching the back of his head, "If I had any _real_ control over it, I wouldn't have needed you to release those people beforehand." "You just blew an entire camp away, and you're saying that's not impressive?" Mine asked, sounding indignant. "Well, there's also the small problem of attacks on that scale leaving me rather weak," he replied as he leaned against a tree. He could already feel his legs starting to shake, so losing the ability to stand wasn't too far off.

Noticing his weakened state, Mine face-palmed while Lubbock just laughed. "Man, and here I thought you were some kind of ultimate badass," he said, taking one of Haru's arms, "Come on, we better get you back before you faint." "I don't faint!" Haru protested. However, this didn't spare him from the teasing about his lack of endurance. While he weathered it in good humor, it did highlight one of his chief concerns. He had been lucky that the guy had used a hand-to-hand weapon. If it had been someone of equal strength, or had been able to dodge the attack, he would have been helpless.

* * *

Noticing a strange scent, Haru woke up to see that Leone was leaning over him from behind and staring at him curiously. Taking care to keep his face neutral and not move, he watched as she leaned closer. "Think he'll notice?" she asked someone. "Naw. Well, maybe," he heard to the side, the voice definitely belonging to Lubbock. Grinning, Leone brought out a marker and was about to try and draw something on Haru's blindfold. Just before it could touch the fabric, however, he spoke up. "Do it and die," he said, causing her to jump back in surprise. Fighting the urge to laugh, he sat up and noticed that Lubbock was also gaping at him, as well as Mine. "How the heck do you do that?" he asked, part shock and part amazement. "Well, let's just say that kitty over there has a distinct odor, and leave it at that, shall we?" he said. The marker smacked into his head not even a second after he spoke, thrown by a slightly ticked Leone. "You don't say that about women, match stick!" she said, huffing.

"Yeah, yeah," he said, scratching his head and yawning, "Where're the others?" "Waiting for your lazy butt outside," Lubbock replied as he left the room, "It's already late, so now's as good a time as any. Let's go." Grabbing his sword, Haru followed them outside to see that everyone was there. "Uh, I know I asked for help, but did you have to bring a freaking army?" he asked, looking at Akame. "You said there were too many to handle alone," she said with a straight face as she walked past him, "So I brought help." "…that's not my point," he mumbled, but was ignored. Sighing, he followed as they made their way through the back streets to the estate.

It was simple enough subduing the guards outside the wall, and since they had been found to have no knowledge of what went on, they elected to spare them. Once inside the grounds, they then had to decide how to take out their intended targets. Well, to be more accurate, Akame had to decide it. "Leone, Sheele, you head inside and take the parents," she said, taking a firm grip on her sword, "We'll draw the guards to us." "And how exactly are we going to manage that?" Haru asked. As an answer, she looked at Lubbock, who in turned smiled gleefully. _Yeah, that inspires confidence_ Haru thought as they moved out.

As it turns out, Akame's idea of a distraction included standing on a wire net in the air. How Lubbock was able to secure it so it would support their combined weight, Haru didn't know, nor was he about to question it. He was just trying to focus on the building and not the drop. Heights had never been his strong suit. The plan, however, worked like a charm, and the guards came rushing from the building to stop them. Unlike the ones outside the walls, these ones were complacent with the family's actions, which, unfortunately for them, made them targets as well. Glancing to his side, Haru saw Akame drop down from the net to land in front of the first three with Bulat in his armor landing right behind her. Confidant that they could handle them alone, Haru took a step off and landed at the rear just as another pair of guards came out of the trees.

"Sorry, guys," he said as he drew his sword, "This just isn't your night." Before either of them could move, he stabbed the first one through the heart before grabbing the other guy's throat. Pulsing his powers, Haru ignited his hand, setting the second guard's head on fire. He wasn't even able to scream as the fire sucked the air from his lungs, causing them to collapse and add to the agony of his death. Rather than snuff them out himself, Haru let it burn out on its own while he went to find the others. They should have mopped up the other targets by now. However, as he came upon a clearing, he saw Akame fighting with the boy he had seen picked up the other day as he tried to protect the daughter. The fact that the kid was holding his own was impressive, until he tripped up and Akame stabbed him in the chest. Noticing the lack of blood on the blade, Haru came up between the girl and the shed she had been fleeing towards. When he picked up a whiff of a familiar stench, he nearly rushed the girl and cut her in two right then.

Only the boy getting back on his feet stopped him. "So, you won't lower your guard even when I'm down, huh?" he said, picking his sword back up. "I didn't feel flesh," Akame replied, getting ready to attack again. "Why are you here? What could you possibly gain by killing the innocent?" he asked, raising his own sword. Before they could come to blows again, Leone grabbed Akame's collar and dragged her back. "Hold on," she said as Akame looked at her in annoyance, "I owe him a favor." Walking over to the shed, she continued, "You think we're just going around killing innocent people?" In one swift motion, she kicked the doors in, revealing a grotesque torture chamber lined with corpses. "So, tell me who's innocent," she said as he walked up and looked inside. When Haru saw that the kid recognized the girl hanging in the center, he felt his own powers flaring up.

Noticing movement to the side, he saw that the little girl was trying to sneak away. He was at her side in less than a second, grabbing the back of her neck and twisting her around so she faced the shed. "You really think you're going to escape from this?" he demanded, holding the blade up so she saw the blood. Before she could try and argue responsibility, a voice called out to the boy and it was clear that they were friends. Haru didn't even need to hear the conversation, he just watched as the girl's face twisted as her 'play thing' turned on her and sold her out. "And why shouldn't I do it?!" she demanded finally, pulling away from Haru, "You're all just worthless hicks from the country, no different from cattle! Why shouldn't I be able to do whatever I want with them? But that girl, she had such smooth hair! While I had to struggle with my own! Who does she think she is to have something like that, she's only a cow! That's why I made sure that she suffered as much as possible!"

Haru was prepared to set her ablaze right then and there. However, before he or Akame could so much as move, the boy walked up to her and, in one quick move, cut clean through her chest. Watching the corpse hit the ground, Haru admired the cold efficiency. After killing her, the boy walked over to talk with his friend, although from the looks of it he was on his last seconds. Turning away to give him some privacy with his friend, Haru reached down and ripped a piece of cloth free from the girl's dress to clean his sword off. When he had sheathed it and turned around, he saw that Leone was now carrying the kid. "Leone, what are you doing?" he asked, walking over. "What does it look like? I'm recruiting us a new member," she said, smiling. Sighing, Haru face-palmed as they rejoined the others. This was going to be interesting to explain to the Boss when she got back.


	2. Chapter 2

The following morning, Haru was out practicing his sword technique with Bulat. Once he had gotten over the mild awkwardness he felt around the guy, he discovered that Bulat was an excellent sparring partner. The fact that he favored a spear while Haru used a short sword made for interesting fights. Currently, the two of them were shirtless and sweating rather badly. They had been trying to knock each other down for almost an hour now and neither of them had so much as taken a bad step. As they began to exchange blows again, Haru noticed movement behind Bulat. It was Leone and the kid they had picked up on the last job, Tatsumi. This distraction, however, was exactly what Bulat had needed. Taking advantage of it, he brought one end of his staff up and broke Haru's grip on his training sword before bringing the other end up and stopping it just before Haru's chest.

Breathing heavily, he hung his head and accepted his defeat. Smiling, Bulat brought the staff down and took a deep breath himself before noticing their company. "Hey, you're that kid from yesterday," he said, walking over and introducing himself. Haru counted down silently in his head, and right as he got to zero he heard Leone say, "He's gay, you know." For whatever reason, she enjoyed dropping that little bombshell on people. Watching at how Tatsumi struggled to respond to that, Haru decided to give him some help. "You shouldn't be so mean to people, Leone," he said as he walked up to join them, "Especially if you intend to recruit them." Extending his hand, he said, "My name's Haru. It's nice to finally meet you properly." "Uh, yeah, you to," Tatsumi replied, still trying to get over what Leone had said, "I'm Tatsumi. Um, why are you…?"

"Blindfolded?" Haru finished for him, "Because I made a mistake almost a year ago, and it cost me. Besides, I don't like flaunting my scars to everyone I meet." Leaving him to mull that one over, Haru grabbed his shirt and went to clean himself up. Say what you wanted to about Bulat's romantic tastes, the guy was a powerful opponent even if he wasn't trying to kill you. After he had cleaned up he went to grab a snack, since he was freaking hungry, and just so happened to run into Mine. "Hey, you see the potential new guy yet?" he asked. Despite how she tended to act, Haru had made it a point to at least try to be friendly with her. "What, the useless one?" she said, "Please, he only wishes he could become one of us." "In other words, he's sure to make the cut. Got it," Haru said, laughing softly as he walked past. He could just imagine the glare she was shooting him. Mine didn't like it when people called her on her bluffs.

After grabbing a loaf of bread, Haru walked out to one of the balconies and enjoyed the view their hideout afforded. It was a castle/mansion built into the base of a cliff. While they had a large forest out in the front, the upper levels of the hideout gave them a commanding view. That, combined with Lubbock's tripwire net out in the trees, gave them a decided advantage should anyone try to take this place. Of course, they would have to know it was there first, and the members of Night Raid took great pains to make sure that never happened. A few minutes later, Haru was joined by Lubbock, who had brought along a cheese wedge and two cups of some kind of drink. Haru had never learned the name, but the taste was so good that he didn't care. Accepting the offered drink, he split the remaining loaf between them while Lubbock did the same with the cheese.

They then proceeded to look out at the landscape as they ate. The two had formed an odd sort of friendship. Nothing had ever really been said or done between them. Haru had just come up to the balcony one evening over a month ago to enjoy the view, and Lubbock had decided to join him. It had become something of a ritual, especially after one of them had completed an assignment. "So, what's your opinion of the new guy?" Haru asked finally, downing the last of his drink. "He's naïve," Lubbock responded without hesitation, "But… I don't know. There's just something about him…" "You can tell he's got potential just from looking at him," Haru finished for him. He had felt the same way when he met Tatsumi, and it was both encouraging and a little scary.

"So, you finally catch Leone with her guard down?" Haru asked, smiling as his friend sighed. "Nope," he answered, "She's as careful as ever, even when leading the new guy around." "Wait, she caught you trying to peep with the new guy?" Haru asked, trying hard not to laugh. However, when Lubbock grimaced at the memory, he couldn't help it. After he had collected himself, he said, "Man, I told you already; it's a side-effect of her Imperial Arms. Cats are crafty critters. Just give it up." "Not until I see them. Even if it means I'll die!" Lubbock said, clenching his hands and trying to look serious. Haru just laughed again, having learned a long time ago that beneath his womanizing exterior was a good guy. Before he could give Lubbock any more grief over the subject, Akame walked up behind them.

"Najenda is back and wants to see us," she said simply before leaving. Sighing, Haru collected the cups as they followed. He had never been able to get any kind of read off that girl. She acted indifferent to him every time he talked with her, and was fairly 'simple' when it came to conversations. This, combined with the fact that she had an almost unhealthy obsession with meat, had made it hard to try and make friends. He was pulled from his thoughts when he entered the main hall and saw everyone gathered around Tatsumi. _I guess it's time to ask the question, then_ Haru realized as he stood next to Leone. Najenda had apparently just finished listening to Akame's report on the last job. Turning to Tatsumi, she said, "Alright, I understand. Tatsumi, would you like to join Night Raid?"

"You'll kill me if I decline, right?" he asked, looking a little nervous. "No, we won't. But that doesn't mean we can let you leave," she responded, smiling, "We'll simply employ you in our workshop. Bearing this in mind, what is your answer?" "I…I was supposed to come to the capital to save my village," he said, "But, the capital is so…" "Tatsumi," Bulat interrupted, "The country suffers because its core is rotten. Don't you want to attack the problem at the root, as a man?" As the conversation continued, Haru tuned out the words he had heard before. He was already well familiar with where this particular conversation was bound to lead. The capital was the heart of the poison that was killing this nation, and they were here to cut it out. It was all something that he had learned to take as routine. However, what the kid said next took him a little by surprise.

"I see, so the killing you're doing now is finding the bad guys and taking out the trash," Tatsumi said, getting fired up, "In other words… You're assassins of justice!" While the others got a good laugh out of that one, Haru just smacked his forehead at the kid's naiveté. _That's going to get him killed_ he thought, sighing. What came next was the inevitable answer from those that had long ago realized the nature of their work. "Tatsumi," Leone said, "No matter how you spin it, we commit murder." "There's no justice in something like that," Sheele continued. "Everyone here could die at any moment," Bulat finished, "As retribution for our actions." Before Mine could speak up and ruin it with her attitude, Haru stepped forward. "Take this warning to heart, Tatsumi," he said, "Because if you join and remain ignorant to this fact, then you _will_ die."

"Each of us has a reason to fight," Najenda said, "But we're all prepared for that possible end. Do you possess the same resolve?" To the kid's credit, he definitely gave it some thought, which impressed Haru. He had been sure that Tatsumi would rush into this blindly, and that he or someone else would get stuck pulling his newbie ass out of the fire. "I'll be properly compensated?" he asked finally. When Najenda nodded, he replied, "Then I'll do it. Allow me to join Night Raid!" "Then it's decided. Welcome to the life of carnage, Tatsumi," Najenda said, "This meeting is adjourned for this evening. Akame, you'll be in charge of training Tatsumi." "Got it," she replied without hesitation. While Tatsumi tried to come to grips with this new little development, Najenda added, "Oh, Haru, Leone? I need to talk with you in private." Noticing that Leone was more interested in teasing Tatsumi, Haru grabbed her collar and dragged her along with him. "You really need to act like less of a child," he scolded, "Especially in front of the new blood." "But acting mature is no fun!" she protested, trying to break his grip.

She had calmed down by the time they reached Najenda's private rooms. Knocking first, Haru waited until she invited them in before opening the door, while he was sure Leone would have preferred to just barge right in. "I have a special assignment for the two of you," she told them as they sat down, "Three days ago, a courier was intercepted heading north. The orders he carried were rather routine, but in them was a summons to the capital." "So, who was being summoned?" Haru asked, already trying not to think the worst. There was all of one person in the Northern provinces that would merit an Imperial summons, and if _she_ was coming here, then their work was about to get complicated. "You know who I mean," Najenda replied, her mechanical arm clenching unconsciously, "We were able to forge the orders to prevent a premature recall, so we've bought ourselves some time."

"So, what do you need us to do?" Leone asked, finally getting serious. "The officer that sent the orders will realize the forgery once the reply returns," Najenda continued, taking out a cigarette and lighting it, "He needs to be dealt with before that can happen." "You need the two of us to do something this simple?" Haru asked, stunned, "Hell, the new kid could handle this." "If it were just another soldier, I'd agree with you," she continued, "However, this particular officer has made a name for himself among certain crime rings. They say that the man can produce flawless forgeries. We acquired some of his merchandise for ourselves. Take a look." With that, she dropped two folders on the table. They contained travel papers that would allow a person to bypass any Imperial checkpoints and searches, no questions asked. They were also documents reserved for the elite of the elite, so criminals having access to them was practically unheard of. Leone and Haru spent almost 15 minutes trying to determine which set of papers were the fake, and failed. "Alright, I give up," Haru said, closing his folder, "Which are the fakes?" "That's just it," Najenda said, "When I got these from our source, even he couldn't tell the difference. The folder with the blue tab is the genuine article, but the other is flawless, and that's not supposed to be possible."

"So, you think he's got some kind of special trick up his sleeve," Leone said, setting her own folder down, "Maybe even an Imperial Arms?" "I can't imagine the purpose behind an Imperial Arms that can reproduce documents like this," Najenda said, taking an angry puff on her cigarette, "But it could just be idle use of a more powerful weapon. We can't be sure, so…" "So, you want two of your heavy-hitters to go in, just in case," Haru surmised, standing up, "Not a problem, Boss." "We'll have this done by lunch tomorrow," Leone promised as they left. "Good, I'll hold you to that," Najenda replied, getting a shiver out of Leone. Closing the door, Haru turned to Leone and asked, "You just _had_ to give us a deadline, didn't you?"

"It just slipped out," Leone replied, smiling sheepishly, "Anyway, we'd better get going if we want this one done." Nodding, Haru went to grab his weapons while Leone waited for him at the entrance. The downside to his Imperial Arms when compared to the kind she used; his required a focus for it to work properly, while she _was_ her weapon. After they had geared up and said their various goodbyes, they made their way to the capital. It was an easy journey, and one they had made hundreds of times on routes that had been proven to be safe time and time again. However, the notion of _that_ woman possibly coming to the capital kept eating away at Haru. Esdeath was known far and wide as one of the most capable military leaders in the Empire. She had never lost a war, or failed to put down a rebellion, although it was rumored that a few of them had been caused by her actions. While Haru only knew of her through reputation, what he had heard was enough to make him whisper a quick prayer to any God that might be listening that she stay occupied with her current task a little longer.

Once they had arrived at the outer districts, Haru and Leone split up to try and track their target down, agreeing to meet at a favorite inn of hers. Once again using his 'blind beggar' disguise, Haru was able to set up close enough to one of the guardhouses to eavesdrop on the conversations inside. It was mostly idle chatter; soldiers talking about late nights, poor pay, long shifts and the occasional sexual encounter. These last ones Haru paid no mind to, although he made sure to memorize the voices of those complaining about their pay. He kept a rather generous coin pouch on hand for 'conversations' with people like that. Almost two hours into his little stake-out, Haru caught sight of someone leaving the building. He wore the unmistakable uniform of a courier, and Haru figured this was as good a chance as he was likely to get.

"Excuse me, sir?" he called out, getting the man's attention. Upon seeing Haru, the courier's face soured slightly, since it was likely he was expecting to be asked for a handout. "Sorry, but I don't have any money to spare," he began, walking by. "No, it's not that. I was wondering if you could deliver something for me," Haru said, pulling a letter from a pocket, "My sister is in one of the coastal cities. I was hoping you could get this to her?" "I handle military letters and packages, kid," the guard said, crossing his arms, "Use the regular services." "Well, you see, this is rather urgent," Haru continued, pulling a few coins out of his pouch, "I need it to get to her quickly, without going through the official processes." Showing the gold to the man, Haru saw the familiar glint of greed in his eyes. If this man knew their target, or knew how to contact him, then he'd know how to bypass the regular systems. "Alright, I'll see what I can do," he said, taking the letter and the money before walking off.

Counting to 10 in his head, he let the man get a good enough head start before following. Thankfully, the man wasn't the careful type, and he led him to one of the main offices in short order. Of course, it could have just been his place of work, and not where their man had set up shop. But someone in there was bound to know who they were after, and where he was staying. Not much of a lead, but enough of one to work with. Shrugging, Haru made his way to the inn to wait for Leone. To his surprise, she was already there waiting for him, and had several empty mugs next to her arm as well as a few empty plates. _This is what I get for loaning her money_ Haru thought as he sat across from her. "So, any luck?" he asked after he had ordered.

"Oh yeah," she replied, smiling like a kid, "Turns out, our guy is well known for human trafficking. I posed as a criminal on the run and I found three different people who were more than willing to smuggle me out of the country, and who promised flawless papers." "So my money actually went to good use," Haru said, smiling slightly, "Good to know." "Like I'd spend all of that on food!" she replied, sounding offended, "It cost me all I had to meet with them. Which means lunch is your treat, right?" "Wait, what?" Before he could try to argue the point, his own food showed up, along with a rather lengthy bill. Sighing, Haru considered ripping into the woman before he saw her smiling sweetly at him. While he had his own tricks for manipulating people, she had hers, and there was no question which was the more effective.

As it turned out, the man they were looking for had set up his shop in an abandoned building not too far from the office that Haru had found. When they scouted it out, they also learned that this guy had enough money for some private security. While there was nothing obvious outside the building, judging from the sounds Leone heard and the trash in the alley, there were easily a dozen people in the building. Not exactly encouraging odds in a confined space, especially since one of them might have an Imperial Arms. "So, what's the plan?" Haru asked, coming up with nothing. "Well, we could just charge right in," she offered, smiling at Haru's apparent glare. "Maybe something less obvious?" he offered, "You said you talked with some guys about smuggling you out of the country. Maybe we could go through one of them?" "We don't know if he actually meets with the clients, though" she said, finally looking focused, "He might just handle the paperwork." "Good point," Haru agreed, "I'd like to avoid wasting more money. So brute force it is, but we go in through the roof."

Smiling, Leone activated her Imperial Arms while Haru unsheathed his sword. No matter how many times he saw the transformation it was still impressive, and a little funny. Her hair grew down to her waist, her hands became that of a lion and she also sprouted a pair of cat ears on her head, as well as a tail. Grabbing Haru under his arms, she leaped onto the nearby roof before releasing him. Getting in through the upper floor was easy enough, since no one had locked any of the windows. Who would try to get in through the roof, anyway? Answer; assassins, that's who. Trying to make as little noise as possible, Haru and Leone made their way through the upper floor, searching the rooms they came across. After four empty rooms, they found several of the guards asleep in one of the bedrooms and decided that dispatching them now was better than leaving them be. There were five in total, and when they left there were three blood-stained beds and two that held men with crushed necks.

It proceeded like this as they searched the house, finally clearing the ground floor before looking at each other in confusion. None of those men had seemed to be the one they were after, and they had searched the entire house. "Maybe he's not here?" Haru said, causing Leone to blanch. "Well, crap, now what do we do?" she said, scratching her head. For whatever reason, seeing her doing that in her lion form was incredibly funny, and Haru had to struggle to keep himself from laughing. To distract himself, Haru walked around the main room and examined everything closer. Catching onto his idea, Leone began going through everything again. They opened all of the closets and cupboards they could find, but they didn't find any obvious switches or hiding places. Walking through the dining room, Haru tried not to look defeated as he went to rejoin Leone. They would just have to stake out the building and wait for the guy to return. _God only knows when that'll be_ he thought.

However, halfway through the room he heard a distinct creak under his boot. Stopping cold, he lifted his foot and brought it down again, triggering the creaking again. Shifting a few steps to one side, he did it again but heard nothing. Back to the first place, and the sound was back. "Leone, here," he called out, still trying to be quiet. Kneeling down, he prodded the boards with the hilt of his sword, and sure enough there was more give on them there should be on a ground floor. "So, this is his hole," Leone said, leaning down and grasping two of the boards. She ripped them up without much effort, revealing a ladder down to a small room. A few more boards and Haru was able to make it down the ladder and look around. It led to a simple tunnel that had a slight downgrade. "I don't suppose we could just turn around and say we didn't find him, rather than travel down this creepy hole," Haru said, knowing full well what the answer would be.

Smacking his back, Leone replied, "Oh, man up. You're the one with the fire, so give us a light." "Yeah, I'll get right on that. It'll make us lovely targets in this darkness," he mumbled as she took the lead. Another bonus of her Imperial Arms; she had very good low-light vision. While he did trust her instincts in case there were any traps, Haru kept an ear open for any suspicious noises. After a few minutes of walking, they saw a faint light. "Are you getting a funny feeling from this, too?" Haru asked, swallowing. When Leone nodded, he knew that there was something up since she wasn't the type that spooked easily. Entering the room at the end of the passage cautiously, they saw it was a rather large storeroom filled with crates and barrels. Clearly, it wasn't just a place where someone forged papers; this was the heart of a serious trafficking setup. In the center of everything was a rather plain-looking man sipping tea from a cup. In fact, now that Haru looked closer, he saw that it was the same guy he had met earlier.

"Well, well, I thought it was suspicious that someone blind had that kind of money," he said, setting the tea aside, "Seems I was right. So, who sent you?" "That's our business, buddy," Leone said, getting ready to attack. "Oh, you think you'll actually be able to take me, do you?" he asked, laughing, "Sorry to say it, but you're outnumbered, sweetheart." Looking around, Haru prepared himself for whatever this guy had. He wasn't, however, prepared for what he saw. Almost two dozen men armed with various weapons moved out from behind the crates and surrounded them. Their looks were devoid of any emotion or obvious thought, but that wasn't the disturbing part. The disturbing part was that it was the _same three faces_ on the men. Judging by how Leone's back stiffened, she'd noticed it as well. Turning so they were back-to-back, Haru tried to steady his nerves as his mind reeled.

"What, you didn't notice when you killed the guards upstairs, then?" the man taunted, leaning back in his seat, "Your employers must really learn to do their homework. Then, they'd know that no one picks a fight with me and lives." "So, this is your Imperial Arms?" Haru asked, just barely keeping his voice steady. "Not that it matters to a mongrel like you, but yes," he replied, "Simply put, it's called Infinite Creation." Taking a second look at the desk, Haru noticed what looked like a sculptor's knife on the desk. Nudging Leone, he nodded in its direction. When she nodded, he knew they'd settled on a plan. If they could get to that knife, they could at least destroy this army he'd made.

"Oh, you can try for the knife," he said, noticing this little exchange, "Not that it'd do you any good. Your kind really needs to learn some subtlety." "I think I liked you better when we met before," Haru commented. "Well, of course you did, because before I was pretending to be part of the common rabble," he said, sounding irritated, "I'm myself now, a superior being who got stuck with a commoner's job. This Imperial Arms will give me the wealth and prestige that I deserve, and I won't let you or any other lowly peasant stand in the way of that." With that, his clones charged.

Blocking the first slash, Haru cleaved the man's head in two before ducking under a spear point. Judging from the crashing he heard behind him, Leone was tearing into them as well. A sword just barely missing his chest brought his focus back to his opponents. _Too much unknown material here to let fire loose now_ Haru realized with a grimace as he blocked another attempt at his head. For all they knew, some of these containers held gunpowder or explosives. Hell, for all he knew there could be bags of rice just waiting to explode if he let his flames dance. Turning the blade aside, he took the man's left leg before stabbing him in the back. However, when he turned to the next target, he felt a whoosh of air and just barely ducked under another sword. Looking behind him, Haru froze as he saw the first one he'd killed standing again. His head still had a clean slash down the middle, and the two halves weren't exactly touching each other, but he was on his feet again. The second one was unable to stand due to the loss of his leg, but he was as upright as he could be.

"You thought they were as flimsy as normal people? Please, what do you take me for?" the man said, laughing. Sure enough, the ones that Leone had been taking down were getting back onto their feet as well. This was made even more disturbing considering several of them had crushed necks and limbs at odd angles. Nevertheless, they got back on their feet and charged. "We need some distance on them!" Haru called out, kicking one of them clear. Using the downed clone as a stepping stone, Haru leaped onto one of the crates before turning around and taking the head off of his pursuer. While the body went down, it was still moving and was getting back onto its feet as Haru climbed higher. Leone joined him a moment later, her hands dripping with blood, but still no actual kills. "Alright, now what?" she asked, looking pissed.


	3. Chapter 3

Of course, it would have been too simple for the clones to just stay on the ground and wait for them. They might not have appeared to have any emotions, but they clearly weren't stupid. Several of them began to climb up after them while the rest opened a nearby crate and started arming themselves with throwing spears. "They're not going to…?" Haru began before ducking. Sure enough, the others were attempting to impale them from where they stood, with _spears_. When Haru thought about everything he'd fought up to now, getting killed by a throwing spear just seemed insulting. Leone managed to grab one of them, and had turned it around to start fending off the men that had gotten closer to them.

"Damnit, we don't have time for this," she said, putting the spear through one of their eyes, "We'll go over our deadline." "Then I guess it's time to go big or go home," Haru said, removing the top of one of the clone's skull, "You have any special need to keep that Imperial Arms intact?" "I'd like to retrieve it," she responded, kicking another one into several of his friends, "But, it's not high on my priority list right now." "Great, then we're on the same page," he said, slashing through the arm of another one, "Whatever you do, don't leave my side." "That's rather bold for a first date, Haru," she replied, giggling. "If this is what you call a date, I want a refund. Now, get back." Holding his sword up, Haru prepared himself mentally for the strain this particular move always brought on. He'd only ever used it twice before, and only during very careful training.

Once he felt the power was relatively stable, he let loose, crying, "Thýella!" Flames erupted from his sword and immediately whipped up into a frenzy. Swinging the sword in a wide arc, he turned them into a massive wave that cascaded around him and Leone. The flames continued to grow as he fed more energy to it until it looked as if most of the ceiling was on fire. Once they had reached a sufficient size, and Haru was satisfied with the look of utter horror on the target's face, he released his control and let the fire fall onto whatever lay below it. Crates and barrels were set ablaze, as where the men that had been trying to kill them. While most of them continued to try and climb the crates, the fact that _everything_ was on fire now worked against them. The crates they were standing on began to crumble as the fire ate away at them and sent several of them back to the floor.

"We need to move!" Haru said, leaping off the tilting boxes. He noticed that their target had started running for a side passage. Making a three-point landing, Haru immediately gave chase, saying, "The Imperial Arms!" Understanding what he meant, Leone, who had landed beside him, ran to the table and grabbed the knife. Sure enough, it was the weapon they thought it was, and she was able to cut off whatever force kept these clones alive. They dropped like sacks of potatoes, still burning as the flames continued. In fact, the air was starting to get harder to breathe as it filled with smoke. Taking a deep breath and holding it in, Haru vaulted over a crate as he continued to chase after the officer.

Once he reached the tunnel, the officer turned around and brought something out of his coat. Haru barely had time to register the gun before he dropped to his knees and slid, just barely dodging the hastily fired bullets. Getting back onto his feet in one quick motion, he was on the man's heels again as he disappeared into the tunnel. Figuring he had nothing to lose, Haru grabbed one of his throwing knives and focused on it, saying, "Zündung," and causing the blade to glow. He had about three seconds before the power ripped through its temporary container, but that's all he needed. Throwing the knife ahead of him, he watched as it acted as a kind of torch, giving the tunnel ahead a dull light. He also saw that the knife missed the officer, just barely whizzing past his head and causing him to flinch. While he probably thought that made him safe, he wasn't the true target of that blade.

Flying ahead of him, the knife finally failed under the strain of the flames inside it and exploded. This caused a small part of the tunnel to collapse. While this was dangerous as hell, since it could have brought the whole thing down, it accomplished what Haru had intended it to; the officer now had to come back through Haru to get out. Turning around, he held the pistol tightly as Haru came to a stop with his own sword raised. "So, what will you do now, mister 'superior being?'" Haru asked, smiling slightly. The man moved quickly, faster than Haru would have guessed. The gun was suddenly up and the trigger pulled by the time he tried to duck to the side. The bullet caught him in the shoulder and spun him so he hit the wall with his back. Clenching his teeth against the pain, he brought his sword up just in time to deflect another bullet. Uttering a primal cry, he charged the man, his sword erupting in flame in response to his anger.

To the officer's credit, he didn't freeze this time but instead continued to fire. Most of the rounds missed, but Haru felt at least two more hit. They hardly slowed him down as he slammed into the man, impaling him with his sword. "And now you burn," Haru whispered into his ear as he set the man aflame before staggering back a few steps, letting the body fall into a heap. Breathing heavily, Haru struggled to stay upright as his Imperial Arms took its toll. It took considerable concentration and energy to manifest that much fire. That, combined with the bullet in his shoulder, the one in his leg and the one that had grazed his right bicep, left him in a very vulnerable state. Leaning against the wall, he coughed as the cave began to fill with smoke. Thankfully, Leone appeared shortly after he leaned on the wall and gave him a look of disapproval.

"Wow, you really don't know how to pace yourself, do you?" she asked, slinging one of his arms over her shoulder. "I was caught up in the moment," he protested, grateful for the help, "Besides, was I supposed to just let him go?" "You could have let me take him," she said, softening her tone, "I am the one with the regeneration ability." Haru just nodded as he grit his teeth, wincing as one of his wounds was jostled. As they came back to the main room, Haru focused on the fires in front of him and snuffed them out as they made their way back through the storeroom and the other tunnel. Climbing the ladder was worse, but he managed to make it to the ground floor again without much help. They used one of the curtains to make a basic dressing for his wounds before Haru brought his cloak around himself, covering the wounds. Thankfully, he was able to stay on his feet as they left the house, although it was a considerable struggle and he had a fairly bad limp. By this point, Leone had reverted back to her normal form and was staying close in case he needed support.

A passing girl in a guard's uniform noticed this and quickly caught up to them. "Excuse me, sir? Are you okay?" she asked, startling the two. Turning to see who had spoken up, Haru saw a rather kind looking girl with orange hair in a rather long pony tail. She also had a small white dog that walked on two legs, and who looked a lot like a rice ball. "Do you need help?" she continued, looking a little concerned. Glancing at Leone, he saw that she was trying to act pleasant, but was still tensed up. "Thanks for the offer, but I'm fine," he said, managing a smile, "I just overexerted myself." "Well…" she said, looking like she was going to press the issue. Reaching out and patting her shoulder, he said, "Really, I'm fine. Besides, I'm sure there are more important things for a guard to do than help a man with a pulled muscle."

"But helping people is our job," she said, looking fired up, "It's the duty of every soldier to help people. We're allies of justice, after all!" _Oh great, an idealist_ he thought, trying not to sigh. "Really, it's okay. Besides, if I need help then I have my walking stick here," he said, pointing at Leone. "Hey! I'm not a stick," Leone said, looking indignant. "You're right, you're too big for a stick," Haru said, smiling, "Maybe a tree?" Watching this little exchange, the girl seemed to draw some kind of conclusion. "Oh, I see what this is…" she said, smiling sweetly, "Alright, I'll leave you now. Just don't do anything too naughty." With that and a giggle, she jogged off with her strange dog in tow, leaving a slightly confused Haru and a grinning Leone behind. However, once he saw the look on her face he clued in immediately. "Don't get any ideas," he said as they continued on.

They managed to make it back to the safe house without further incident, at which point Haru went through the process of removing the bullet in his shoulder. Thankfully, the only other one that had actually hit him had passed clean through, but this one hadn't and it hurt like hell. They then decided it was best to rest, since Haru's wounds needed some time to heal before they made their way back. By the time they had made it back to the hideout, it was almost noon the next day. Leone was clearly not looking forward to reporting that they had exceeded the time. "Relax," Haru said, patting her shoulder, "We got a new Imperial Arms out of this, didn't we? That's got to count for something." "Yeah…" she said, not sounding convinced.

Once they had returned to the hideout, Haru quickly ducked aside and allowed Leone to make the report while he went to grab some fresh bandages. On his way, he overheard Najenda talking with someone else. It turned out to be Akame and Tatsumi, and she was in the middle of refereeing a debate between them over a particular job. "You don't think I can do this?" he asked, sounding offended, "Just watch, I'll take Ogre on my own!" Before Akame could speak up and contradict him, Najenda spoke up. "Alright, if you say you can, than let's see. Tatsumi, you will take out Ogre while Akame will target the merchant." With a quick look at Tatsumi that could have been her version of a glare, Akame turned and left as the kid beamed at her back in triumph. Laughing softly, Haru continued on his way. However, he only got about two steps down the hall before someone came up behind him and place a hand firmly on his shoulder. Whoever it was then spun him around with enough force to throw his cloak open and reveal his wounds.

"What happened?" Akame asked, looking at the bandages closer. The wound in his shoulder had started to come open again due to use and was starting to soak the bindings through. "I… Well, I screwed up, I guess," he replied, scratching the back of his head, "But, it's not as bad as it looks. Really." Rather than listening to him, Akame grabbed his wrist and continued down the hallway with a mildly annoyed look on her face. While he tried to protest at first, Haru gave up after receiving no response and just let her lead him on. She stopped just inside one of the common rooms and released him while walking over to a cabinet and pointing at a chair. Taking the hint, Haru sat down while he removed his cloak, wincing slightly as he did. She came back over with a medical kit and began removing the old wrappings. Resigned to letting her patch him up, Haru instead found himself focused on the girl in front of him.

He had never gotten that close with Akame, and she always struck him as a rather cold and detached person. However, watching her level of concentration as she wrapped the wound in his shoulder again, he could just faintly see some kind of emotion lurking in those eyes. "How is that?" she asked when she had finished. Flexing his arm to test it, he still winced slightly. "Well, I can't say it's back to 100%," he admitted, "But, it's much better. Thank you, Akame." "Don't do something like that again," she said as she moved to the wound on his leg. "Do what?" "Don't ever conceal a wound," she said, looking up at him seriously, "Ever again. Do you understand?" "Uh…yeah, sure," he replied, "Is that concern I hear?" "Why wouldn't it be?" she replied as she worked, "We're teammates."

"It's just that… I got the feeling you didn't form attachments with people," he admitted. Clearly, he had hit some kind of nerve. She stopped suddenly and clenched the wrappings tightly. When she met his eyes, he gulped and immediately regretted saying anything. "So, because I'm an assassin, I can't have people that are precious to me?" Not knowing how to respond, Haru just looked away, suddenly feeling like scum. After a few seconds of staring at him intently, Akame returned to redoing the binding on his leg. When she finished and had put the rest of the things back into the case, Haru reached out and grabbed her hand, stopping her. "I'm sorry," he said, looking at her, "I didn't…" Smiling at him, she put her other hand on top of his. "It's okay," she said simply, "I'm used to it by now."

"Well, you shouldn't be," he said, making his mind up about something, "Anyway; at least I have something to make up for it." Looking at him in confusion, Akame watched as Haru released her hand and reached up to his blindfold. "I usually don't show this off since most people find it disturbing," he said, "I don't like flaunting my Imperial Arms, especially considering what it cost me." When he removed the blindfold, Haru saw the familiar look of shock on her face; even Akame wasn't immune to what she saw. The scar was in the shape of an X stretched across his eyes, leaving the skin there a few shades darker than the rest of his face. However, it was his eyes that were the most striking. Rather than normal, human eyes, his were a vibrant green with slits for pupils. They looked like the eyes of a lizard, and Haru braced himself for the usual reaction he got from people. Every single person that had seen this had always called him 'monster' or 'freak,' or something to that effect.

After a few seconds of just staring at each other, she reached up and touched the edge of one of his scars. "This… is what you did to join us?" she asked, sounding surprised. "Well, it wasn't completely up to me," he admitted, smiling, "I screwed up and got slashed across my left eye, blinding it. When we found out I was possibly compatible with this Imperial Arms, I took the chance rather than remain crippled." "What is it…?" she asked. Haru hesitated at that; still surprised that she hadn't said what he was expecting. But then again, this girl had been raised and trained to be a killer. Her standards of what was and wasn't acceptable were probably different from most. "Its full name is Demon God's Manifestation; Demon's Sight," he told her, "And before you ask; yes, it's a physical part of me. I can't remove it, and no one else can take it from me." "Why would you do something like that?" she asked, looking serious. He had taken his dedication to an entirely different level, making it so that he would _never_ be able to put his weapon down.

"Well, it was the only one I reacted to," he said, scratching the back of his head and smiling, "Besides; being able to wield fire is actually kind of cool." Sighing, she stood up and put the med kit back. Turning back around, she said, "Don't let it happen again. Okay, Haru?" "Of course not," he replied, smiling at her as he put the blindfold back on and stood up. Smiling slightly at him, Akame left to carry out her job while Haru returned to his room and collapsed on his bed. This just caused him to groan as he jostled his wounds, but the relief of finally being able to lay down far outweighed the discomfort. Rolling onto his back, he stared at the ceiling while he thought that conversation over.

He had never shown that to anyone when he could help it. The only people that had ever truly seen his Imperial Arms were the doctor that gave it to him and several people just before he had killed them. The fact that he had turned it into a form of curtesy like that was still surprising to him when he thought about it, but it felt right for some reason to show those people exactly what was about to kill them. Those people were right, of course; despite whatever he might claim, Haru had allowed himself to turn into some kind of monster by taking this weapon into himself. Taking an old photo out of his pocket, Haru looked again at the happy family that had once been, and again wondered what they would think now.

His father had always been a stubborn bastard, but a kind one. He probably would have understood Haru's reasons, even if he wouldn't have agreed with what he had to do. His mother would have been completely against it, instead wanting her son to come home and be safe. He smiled sadly as he imagined what it would have taken to convince her. His little brother would have thought he was the coolest person in the world; taking the fight to the Empire's door and making fire dance at his command. It would have taken a serious effort to make sure he didn't follow him. His older sister would, in public, side with his mother and say that he was an idiot, demanding that he come home. In private, however, she would have supported him, saying to do what he needed to do and come back alive. "I'm sorry," he whispered, trying to keep his emotions in check, "This is something that I have to do." Putting the picture down on one of the bedside tables, Haru closed his eyes and quickly fell asleep.

It wasn't even a few hours later when he woke to a loud crash as someone kicked in his door. "Alright, what the hell?" he asked, sitting up. "Get your lazy butt up, Haru," Leone said, "We have intruders." _That_ woke him up pretty damn fast. Grabbing his sword and cloak, he was out the door in seconds. They quickly joined the others as they all moved out into the forest. "Lubbock, how many do we have?" Haru asked. He was suddenly very grateful that Akame had redone the bindings on his wounds; his movements weren't as hampered as they were earlier. "At least a dozen, but I can't be sure," he replied, "They tripped the barrier at an extreme range." "So, in other words, you have no idea," Mine said, scoffing, "Typical." "Can it, shorty," Haru replied before Lubbock could. "If that's how it is, then we'll see how you do without sniper support!" she shot back, glaring at him. "As if I need it."

With a gesture, Akame cut off any further banter before motioning for them to spread out. Without breaking stride, they split up and fanned out. Drawing his sword, Haru noticed that Tatsumi and Bulat had split off while Akame continued on her own. Figuring the others could handle themselves, Haru moved to give Akame some back-up just as they made it to a river. Sure enough, three men came out of the trees on the far said and squared off with her. "That's one of the faces from the posters," one of them said, smiling, "So; it seems that Night Raid's base is close." "She's cute. Maybe we could have some fun after we kill her," another said. For whatever reason, that suggestion made Haru's blood boil. Stepping out from the bushes, he walked up beside her with his own sword held ready. "Try it and you answer to me," he threatened.

They didn't even have time to reply. Faster than Haru would have thought possible, Akame brought her sword out, slit their throats and was behind them with it back in its scabbard. They looked confused for all of two seconds before their throats spurt blood and they collapsed. Relaxing, Haru smiled as Akame turned around, which was a mistake. "Haru!" she called out, causing him to whirl around. Sure enough, there was a fourth man, and he already had his sword raised to cut Haru in two. Reacting on instinct, Haru leaped back while he grabbed one of his throwing knives. Lacking the time to charge it, he just threw it at the man's head, forcing him to abandon his swing and dodge. Taking advantage of this, Haru charged him, bringing his own sword up.

The other man blocked his stab, turning the blade aside before punching Haru in the side. He just managed to recover in time to block the man's counter strike, and the two stood there with their blades locked. "Well, at least you're not half as weak as you appear," he said, leaning into his sword. "I wouldn't have lived this long otherwise," Haru replied, "Also, you really shouldn't have focused on just me." Before the man could figure out what he meant, Akame's sword pierced his chest from behind, cleaving his heart in two and killing him instantly. Stepping back to let the body fall, Haru took a deep breath as he looked around. "Never assume the area is clear until it is," Akame said, sheathing her sword again.

Haru's reply was cut off in a muffled explosion as Mine fired at someone. Judging from the sound, there wouldn't even be a body left. Sighing, Haru sheathed his own sword as he jogged after Akame. After only a few minutes, they had swept the area and cleared out the attackers. They joined up with Lubbock as they made their way back to the base, although he looked depressed about something. "Don't tell me," Haru began, "You had to kill a woman, didn't you?" "She was so hot, too!" Lubbock replied, "Man, this job can really suck!" Laughing softly, Haru patted his back as they continued on. He also noticed the look Akame shot him. "What, men can't have desires?" Haru asked. "She was an enemy," Akame replied, "There's no point to feel guilty." "So, you're saying that if you killed a hot guy, you wouldn't feel even a little bad for it?" "No." "Well, I can say that if I had to kill some hot girl, I'd feel bad, too," Haru replied, trying to cheer Lubbock up. Rather than reply, Akame let the matter drop as they continued on.

When they returned to the hideout, Haru learned that, thanks to his wounds, he was temporarily suspended from assignments. Instead, he got to lend a hand around the place and found himself in the kitchen, of all places. "Why am I helping you cook, again?" he asked as he cubed some meat for the stew. "Because I needed help," Akame replied simply, munching on one of the carrots. "You know, I'm surprised you can look as good as you do," Haru said, "Considering how much you eat." Those words were a mistake the moment he said them, and he realized it too late as he froze. Thankfully, Akame wasn't like Mine or Leone, so instead of immediately throwing a knife at him she continued preparing the food while ignoring the comment. Although, for whatever reason, Haru thought he saw some kind of color on her ears from that. _Probably my imagination_ he thought as he returned to his work.

After dinner, Haru learned that he would get to go out on an assignment the next day, although it wasn't the kind he had hoped for. "You want me to babysit the new kid and the squirt?" he asked Najenda, stunned. "Tatsumi is training under Mine right now, and I'd like you to train him next," she replied, "So, it's probably best that you two get used to each other now, rather than later." "And this just so happens to be when Mine is going on one of her little shopping trips?" he said, trying really hard not to let this get to him. When she simply smiled, Haru got up and left, sighing as he closed the door. _That woman just enjoys pushing people's buttons_ he thought as he returned to his room. When he opened the door, he noticed a small box with a note on his bed. Opening the note, he quickly read it.

 _You don't insult a woman's figure, Haru_

Recognizing Leone's handwriting, he then looked at the box in mild horror. Akame had clearly told the other woman about their conversation, and he could only imagine what she had prepared as a kind of warning. Gulping, he opened the box hesitantly, prepared for something to bite him, or explode. Instead, inside was a small charm, one he immediately recognized. He had seen it in passing at one of the shops in the slums, and it was supposed to bring good luck. The intended meaning was clear, and Haru just whispered thanks it wasn't some kind of poisonous bug as he set the charm back in the box and put in on the bedside table. Lying down for the night, he briefly wondered where that comment/insult had come from. It wasn't out of spite, he knew that. _Maybe, it was something else_ he thought as sleep took him.


	4. Chapter 4

The next morning, Haru was down in the dining room finishing his breakfast when he heard a loud explosion from several floors up. While Sheele seemed concerned about it, he and Najenda continued to eat. They both knew that Mine was a late sleeper, and Najenda had told Tatsumi that, "fetching their teacher was another job of the student." "You're evil, you know that?" Haru told Najenda. She just smiled as she finished her coffee. Rather than try and press the issue, Haru finished his food and put his bowl up before heading outside to wait for the children to stop fighting. While he was doing so, he heard several more explosions, and briefly wondered how long it would take to repair the damage this time.

It was almost half an hour when Tatsumi and Mine came out the front, although Mine still looked rather pissed about something. Looking at Tatsumi, he saw that he was part pissed and part embarrassed about something. It didn't take a genius to work out what happened between them to cause this sort of reaction. Instead, he turned around and said, "Let's get this over with already." With a 'huff,' Mine followed Haru with Tatsumi bringing up the rear. Thankfully the walk was rather calming in and of itself, and before too long they had seemed to have calmed down. "So how was your first assignment, Tatsumi?" Haru asked, finally unable to stand the silence. "It was… I honestly didn't think he would be that strong," Tatsumi replied, "I actually thought he was going to kill me there for a second."

"That's what you get for taking him head-on," Mine said, crossing her arms, "If you had any real brains, you'd have laid a trap for him." "And yet, you're still alive," Haru said, shooting Mine a look, "Not a simple thing considering Ogre wasn't a push-over. You should be proud of that." Tatsumi nodded in reply, smiling slightly. "Also, I heard that Akame stripped you to search for wounds," Haru continued, smiling as Tatsumi flinched, "Try not to take it too personally. She's just concerned." "Did she do the same thing to you?" "Well, no. But then again, my wounds from the last fight were actually visible," Haru said, scratching the back of his head. "Wait, you actually got hurt?" Tatsumi asked, shocked, "I thought that never happened with you guys."

Ignoring the smug look Mine had on, Haru explained, "It happens to the best of us. I underestimated what the guy was capable of, and payed for it. Hell, even the pipsqueak over here has been hurt on a few jobs." "I have not!" she said indignantly. "Then I guess it was some other pink-haired girl that we had to haul a dog off of that one time?" Glaring at him for a second, Mine just 'huffed' before picking up her pace so she could put some distance between them. "Is she always like that?" Tatsumi asked. "You get used to it," Haru said, patting his back, "Although, I'm still not sure if that's a good thing or not." Tatsumi just nodded in agreement as they continued on.

The walk to the capitol was, thankfully, uneventful after that. The two boys then proceeded to follow as Mine went around to several shops, clearly enjoying herself. While Tatsumi kept a respectful silence, Haru couldn't help but poke fun at her several times. "I doubt that would fit you," he said one time while they were in a clothing shop. It just so happens that she was checking out bras, and the one she appeared to like was, well, just a little too big for her. She just shot him a glare before continuing on, although Haru had to stop himself from laughing. The plus side to their little trip was that Haru got to get some things he had needed for a while now. Namely a new kit for maintaining his sword and several new throwing knives, since he had already spent two of the five he owned over the course of a day. Walking out of the store, he joined the others as Mine tapped her foot in impatience. She clearly wanted the day to center around _her_ shopping and not his.

Finally, they stopped at an outdoor café to enjoy a rather nice lunch. By that point, it was clear to Haru that Tatsumi was almost out of patience with them. Clearly, he had thought that they were actually going to teach him something rather than spend the day relaxing. "Alright," Mine said, putting her cup down and smiling, "That concludes our training for the day." "You call that training?!" Tatsumi demanded, "We just spent the whole day shopping!" "It's important to relax when you can, kid," Haru said, finishing his own drink, "You can't work all the time. Take the down-time when you can." "How can you be so laid back?" he asked, turning to Haru, "No wonder you nearly died if you act like this."

"Please, that pathetic excuse for a human being couldn't have killed me," Haru said, letting a bit of steel creep into his voice, "And what makes you such an expert? You've never seen me fight, so don't criticize what you don't know." Before Tatsumi could press the issue, they heard a slight commotion coming from the plaza. "What's that?" Tatsumi asked, getting up and walking over to see. "Probably a public execution," Mine said, finally looking serious, "They happen all the time here." Sure enough, two men and a woman were pinned to wooden crosses with arrows sticking out of them. Tatsumi just stood there, too shocked to say anything. "I won't end up like that," Mine said, looking determined, "I'm going to live through this." Haru just turned away and whispered a quick prayer for their souls. Far too often, the people that were strung up like this were done so for simply questioning the systems in place.

Their trip back was much more sober after that, with Tatsumi in deep thought. Haru decided to let the kid stew over what he had just seen, figuring it would serve as a valuable lesson. After half an hour into their walk, Tatsumi finally spoke up. "How can you stand seeing that every day?" he asked. While Mine just ignored the question, Haru took some time to come up with a proper response. "I honestly don't know," he said finally, "It's probably a result of the other shit we've seen." "So, you've just grown numb to it all?" Tatsumi asked, appalled. "If that's what you think, then you have a long way to go," Haru replied. After that, he just ignored the rest of the kid's questions. If he couldn't come to grips with the reality of his new job, then he would pay the price for that obliviousness soon enough. Which would be a shame since Haru was growing to like him.

However, when they got to the hideout it seemed that his patience had finally come to an end. "So, you're going to tell me that you can just turn a blind eye to all that carnage?" he asked, grabbing Haru's shoulder, "Cause if that's so, than you guys are no damned different from the Empire." Everything else Haru had been willing to let go. That last part, however, pushed one of his few buttons. Rounding on Tatsumi, he brought his hand up and punched him square in the stomach, sending him stumbling back a few steps. "Don't you _dare_ compare me to those things!" Haru said, taking a step forward, "You have _no idea_ what I've had to endure. You think you're a special case because two of your friends died? I've seen things that would scar your soul, so don't pretend you know what you're talking about!"

"Oh, is that right?!" Tatsumi shot back, straightening up and taking a step forward himself. Mine just looked between the two boys in mild shock. She hadn't really known Haru to lose his temper, and she didn't think Tatsumi had this much guts to stand up to someone that could _literally_ cause him to combust. "Alright, since I'm supposed to be training you, how about this," Haru said, trying really hard to calm himself down, "You and me, out by the lake. If you can knock me down, you win. Deal?" "Why out there?" Tatsumi asked, skeptical. "Because I don't plan on pulling too many of my punches," Haru replied, turning away, "So it's the only place that can take that kind of punishment."

While Mine was nervous about where this could lead, she saw that neither of them would back down. Somehow, Tatsumi had hit a nerve with Haru, and he wasn't about to let the new kid get away with it. Catching up with him in the hideout, she put an arm out to slow him down. "Hey, you alright?" she asked, concerned. "Kid just crossed a line is all," Haru replied, refusing to look at her, "Besides, this will be a good way to test him. And no, I won't kill him. Probably." Without saying another word, Haru returned to his room to put up his cloak. While he was surprised at himself for the outburst, Tatsumi had crossed a line that even Haru hadn't been aware of. But Haru had issued a challenge to Tatsumi, and he wasn't about to back down now that he had cooled off and was thinking clearly.

When he turned to leave, he saw Akame standing in the doorway and looking slightly concerned. "Please, don't ask," Haru said, moving to get passed her. "You've never lost your control like that," she said, stepping in front of him, "What changed?" "Me, probably. I can't say what it is exactly, but he definitely crossed a line," he replied, sighing, "If you're so concerned, come and watch. I promise not to kill him on purpose." While she didn't look satisfied with that answer, Akame chose to let it go rather than push the subject and walked away. Taking a deep breath to calm himself, Haru made his way back outside. However, when he walked out the main entrance, he saw Bulat and Lubbock waiting for him. "I'm guessing Mine's told everyone?" Haru said, walking past them. "Of course she did," Bulat said as they walked with him, "She's concerned, even if she doesn't show it. We all are." "You've never exploded like that before," Lubbock commented, "I'm not sure if it's nice to know you actually have a temper or not."

Rather than respond, Haru just continued on in silence. When they reached the lake, he saw that everyone had gathered to watch this little scuffle. Tatsumi was clearly a little nervous with the audience they had drawn, but it wasn't bad enough to make him back out now. Taking his sword from its sheath, Haru unclipped his belt and throwing knife pouch, setting them both aside as he walked to one end of the rocky beach. Tatsumi took his position on the other end, taking his own coat and sheath off. "In the interest of full disclosure, I should tell you that I'm Night Raid's destruction expert," Haru said, taking his stance, "This will be nothing like sparing with Bulat." "Of course it won't be," Tatsumi replied, smiling coldly, "Bro is probably stronger than you are."

Taking that as a cue to start, Haru brought his sword down, saying, "Zündung!" Thankfully, Tatsumi had good reflexes and managed to dodge the wave of fire as it cut a swath across the ground. However, he was clearly not expecting that kind of attack and stood there for a moment, too stunned to move. Using that momentary lapse in concentration, Haru charged him and brought his sword around, aiming at his chest. Tatsumi recovered just in time and brought his own sword up, blocking the slash before throwing his blade back. They then proceeded to trade several blows, each of them taking and losing ground in turn. "Well, you have good reaction time," Haru said between blows, "Let's see how good your foot work is. Thýella!"

With that, Haru summoned flames in his hand before casting them around himself in a wide circle, setting the ground ablaze. At first, Tatsumi retreated to get clear of the flames before turning and gaping slightly at the field of flames. Standing in the center of them, Haru looked at him expectantly as he held his sword to one side. Meanwhile, the other members of Night Raid watched the battle with a mix of concern and awe. The few times they had seen Haru displaying this kind of power, he usually was incredibly weak afterword. At the same time, he was the only one of them that wielded a pure element, and even though he had only had his Imperial Arms for a few months he had a surprising amount of control over it.

"So, you're just going to stand there all day?" Haru taunted, smiling. Gritting his teeth, Tatsumi tried to charge through the flames, but he only made it a meter in before the heat forced him back. "Consider this your first lesson, newbie," Haru said, crossing his arms, "There will be people that can't be taken head-on. So, try using that stuffing in your own head for something." While Tatsumi was slightly pissed at the condescension in Haru's tone, he had to admit that the guy had put up a rather effective defense. Looking around him, he smacked himself for not considering this plan sooner. Running to the lake, Tatsumi jumped into the water before dunking himself completely under. When he got out of the water, he was dripping wet and grinning in triumph. Shaking his head, Haru just stood there as Tatsumi made another attempt to get to him through the flames.

To his credit, soaking himself did serve to protect him from the heat for a while. Tatsumi managed to make it to Haru and brought his sword down, only to get blocked with almost no effort by Haru. However, instead of actually fighting him, Haru just blocked Tatsumi's strikes without moving an inch. After about a minute, the water had evaporated and Tatsumi was forced to break away and get clear of the flames again. Bent over and panting, Tatsumi tried to come up with another way to get past those fires. _Soaking myself didn't work_ he thought, _and I don't have the ability to actually put those flames out. So, now what?_ Looking around again, he tried to come up with another way to take Haru down. It was at this point that he remembered what Haru had said. _He said that I had to knock him down, he never said how._

For a brief moment, he considered throwing rocks, but he discarded that when he realized that Haru would be able to dodge or block them rather easily. He wasn't strong enough to throw something big enough to actually do the job. Glancing back at Haru, he noticed that he looked a little unsteady on his feet. _How much effort must it take to do that?_ Tatsumi wondered before he got an idea. Taking another dip in the lake, Tatsumi then proceeded to wait on the shore for a few minutes, watching Haru like a hawk. At first, Haru couldn't figure out what the kid was planning, but when he felt himself start to sway slightly he smiled as he finally saw his idea. Clearly, Tatsumi had noticed this slight waver as well, because he immediately leaped from the water and charged him again with his sword held ready.

Taking a firm stance, Haru tried to anchor himself as best as he could as Tatsumi crashed into him. His efforts paid off as he stopped the kid cold, but that only lasted for a few seconds. Then his knees buckled and Tatsumi forced his sword aside before tackling him to the ground. Reversing the grip on his sword, he held the point just over Haru's throat while looking deadly serious. Haru didn't have a doubt that had they been serious about this, Tatsumi would have taken his head. Instead, he smiled as he snuffed out his flames before saying, "Congratulations, you pass." Smiling, Tatsumi lowered his sword before getting back to his feet. Helping Haru get back onto his, he said, "I'm sorry if I said something out of line before, Haru." "To be honest, that was probably building up for a while now," Haru replied, "Frankly, I'm glad it was now instead of later, especially on a job."

"Speaking of which, we have an important one," Najenda said, getting up and heading back, "If you two are done trying to kill each other, meet back at the conference room." "If I had wanted him dead, he'd be dead," Haru replied. "Like it would be that easy," Tatsumi shot back, smiling. Haru returned the smile as he gathered his things before following the others. The kid showed real talent in thinking that problem through. Haru had fully expected him to try bull rushing him a few more times than he did. _If he gets the right Imperial Arms, who knows what he'll be capable of_ he thought. Catching up to Haru, Lubbock smiled when he noticed that his friend was visibly calmer. "So, did that help you cool off?" he asked, slapping him on the back. "Yeah, a little," Haru replied, "And I finally have a measure of what he can do, and what he could become." "And that is?" "To be perfectly honest, it's the scary kind of potential," he said, shuddering a little for effect, "I'd hate to think what he could have become in the Imperial army."

"Our target is Iokal. He's a distant relation to the Minister," Najenda said when they had all gathered, "He uses that relation to kidnap and beat women to death. His guards are also getting a share, so they're guilty as well. This is a very important mission, so I'm sending you all in." While Tatsumi may have inadvertently found one of Haru's buttons, this guy using his bloodline like that pushed another and Haru was just itching to take him down. As it turns out, Haru got paired with Tatsumi to help escort Mine while she would snipe the man from a distance. The rest of them would move to intercept the guards. While Haru was a little annoyed to being moved to support, it wasn't like he was missing out on any big fights, although he would have loved to set the man ablaze himself. They moved out that evening and quickly made their way to the man's mansion.

It was a large estate, more like a castle, built into the hills and lighting the area for a long ways in every direction. Mine chose a small hilltop with a clear line of sight on the entrance. Opening her rifle case, she began putting her Imperial Arms together while Tatsumi and Haru kept an eye on their surroundings. "So, is that another Imperial Arms?" Tatsumi asked, looking over. "This is the Roman Artillery; Pumpkin," Mine responded with just a little smugness in her voice, "The more of a pinch I'm in, the stronger it becomes." "That sounds useful." "It is," Haru replied, looking around, "But she's never in any real danger, so it's not as useful as you'd think it would be." This just got a glare from Mine, which he ignored. Tatsumi just sighed as he brought his spotting scope out and sighted on the entrance.

"He's coming out," he reported, getting their attention, "And he's not alone." "How many others are with him?" Haru asked. "It doesn't matter," Mine replied, sighting up. Before Tatsumi could ask her if she was intending to shoot innocents, he saw her intense concentration. Even without the eyepiece, she was clearly focused on her target, with the entire outside world becoming a blur to her. Taking a breath, she let part of it out before holding the rest. Mine pulled the trigger with no effort, sending a bolt of energy downrange and right between the man's eyes. He was dead before he hit the ground, and they were on the move before the sound of the shot reached the building.

"That was…really impressive," Tatsumi said as they made their way to the meeting point. "That's a master sniper," Haru replied, smiling. "Well, since I guess you're wondering, I'll tell you what happened in my past," Mine said from out of the blue, "I'm from a town in the west, and my mother was a foreigner. In the capital, I was discriminated against, with everyone taking advantage of me. It was a very tragic childhood. But, the Revolutionary army and the Western countries are allies. Once a new government is established, borders will be opened and geography won't matter, so discrimination like that won't happen again." Knowing full well where this story was heading, Haru decided to cut her off. "I didn't know it was story time," he said, ignoring the look she gave him, "But, since we're sharing, I will, too."

"I'm originally from a small town up in the north," Haru told them, "We were mostly known for the local mine and a few people that could do some wonderful things with the metals and gems pulled out of it. We weren't wealthy, but we also weren't suffering. My family had a history as metal workers, and I remember my father and his father often working on weapons for the Imperial soldiers; both those that were stationed there and those that passed through. The rest of my family; my mother, older sister and younger brother, helped out around the forge. I even made a few friends among the soldiers."

Haru hesitated there, dreading the next part. "Then the revolts in the north began, and the soldiers stationed at our town were called away," he said, his voice dropping a bit, "At first we managed just fine. Our town had a well-stocked armory, and nearly all of the adults knew how to handle a weapon, but… We had always had problems with rather large Danger Beasts in the hills nearby, and one night something whipped them into a frenzy." Tatsumi and Mine just listened intently as they walked. Mine had never heard about Haru's past, although she could guess where this was going. "All I remember of that night is fire, smoke, screams, and death," Haru said, "I remember watching my home burn, with my mother, brother and sister still inside. My father had…fallen trying to defend the town."

Neither of them knew what to say to Haru. Sure, they had both lost and suffered. Mine had lost any chance at a normal childhood, and Tatsumi had lost two of his oldest friends not even a week ago. But that… having to watch your family die in front of you could truly leave a person scarred for life. "I managed to escape," Haru continued, trying to force a smile, "And I got to spend the next two years alone before I was picked up by the Revolutionary army. When they did, I vowed to never allow something like that to happen again." "So, you're going to make sure all of the towns are protected?" Tatsumi asked with a touch of admiration. "Yes, I will," he replied, "Even if it costs my life, I _will_ see this country changed."

By the time they had finished talking, they had arrived at the meeting point. It was at the base of a rather beautiful cherry tree, and it seemed that they were the first to arrive. Halfway through the clearing, Haru felt his senses kick in and the hair on his neck stand on end. _Something's wrong_ he realized too late. "Look out!" Tatsumi called out, pushing Mine out of the way before getting thrown across the clearing. Jumping clear and spinning, Haru drew his sword as he realized that one of the guards had gotten through. Vaguely remembering that they had training in martial arts, he kept his distance as Mine brought her rifle around. "Not bad reflexes, for a kid," the man said, standing up.

"So, you're one of the Koukenji martial artists, aren't you?" she asked, smiling coldly. "That's right. I was even a master once, although that was ten years ago," he replied, returning the smile. "And now you guard garbage," Haru commented, "How fitting." "You'll pay for that, brat!" Faster than Haru could even think, the man was within a meter of him, his foot coming around towards his middle. Moving at the last second, Haru stepped with the blow and just managed to avoid enough of it to avoid serious damage. However, it was still enough to send him into a nearby tree and knock the wind from him. Rather than follow-up with it, the man turned and charged Mine as she opened fire. While she released an impressive hailstorm of shots, he managed to side-step them all before getting way too close.

Unknown to him, Tatsumi had gotten back onto his feet and had charged himself. Sensing the danger, the martial artist rounded on him and caught the blade between his hands, stopping it cold. Instead of trying to break free, Tatsumi let go of the handle before wrapping his arms around his waist, holding the man firmly in place. "Mine, now! Shoot him!" he cried. _He's insane_ Haru thought as he got back up. "What, are you crazy?" she replied. "I have faith in you," he said as the guy started trying to free himself, "You're a master sniper, after all." Smirking, she brought Pumpkin up and sighted on the guy's heart. "That's right, I am," she said as Pumpkin charged.

"What? No! Let go of me, you brat!" he cried, trying to pry Tatsumi loose. It didn't work, and within a few seconds, Pumpkin had charged fully and Mine had pulled the trigger. The bolt passed right through his chest, vaporizing his heart and stopping him cold. Releasing the body, Tatsumi stumbled back as it collapsed to the ground. "You have some real guts," Mine said after a moment, "So, I guess that I'll acknowledge you a litt-" She was cut off as Tatsumi flicked her forehead rather hard. "That shot was way too close," he said, pointing at his head, "Look what you did to my hair!" "And just as I was about to acknowledge you, too!" she replied.

Sensing the ensuing argument, Haru just left them to it as he sheathed his sword. By this point, the others had shown up. Pointing at the corpse, Haru said simply, "You missed one." "Really? We just thought the guy had called in sick today," Lubbock replied, trying to act cross. Haru saw right through it, though, and smiled at the looks of relief on their faces. Thankfully the trip back to the hideout was uneventful, although Mine and Tatsumi refused to talk to, or walk near, each other. On their way back, Akame caught up with Haru, who had been in the lead. "I'm sorry we let one get past us," she said. You could almost say that she looked like she always did, but Haru was learning to spot the subtle shifts that indicated her emotions. Right now, the slight narrowing of her eyes and the clenching of her fists told him that she felt guilty.

"Relax," he said, patting her shoulder, "Even though he got the jump on us, there wasn't a chance in hell he could take two Imperial Arms users." "I still screwed up," she insisted, "That's not acceptable." "You do realize we're not the people that trained you, right?" he asked, growing concerned, "We're not going to hold it against you. Well, I won't, at least." That seemed to be what she wanted to hear, since Haru spotted the ghost of a smile on her lips. For some reason that alone comforted him, and Haru felt his own spirits rise in response. Unknown to either of them, Leone and Bulat were watching the whole thing from a discreet distance. And they both were smiling, knowing full well what was going on.


	5. Chapter 5

When they got back to the hideout, Haru didn't have nearly enough strength to make it back to his bed. Instead, he collapsed on one of the couches in the main room and passed out. He enjoyed the blissful sleep of the truly tired, with no dreams waiting to pester him with the things his mind had been focused on. When he woke the next morning, it was to a slight tugging on his head. Opening his eyes, he wasn't surprised to see Leone standing over him again. A quick scan of the room without moving his head showed that Lubbock, Tatsumi and Bulat were also there, making their various preparations for the day. Another tug brought his attention back to the blonde woman.

She had the funniest look of concentration and mischief on her face that Haru had to resist the urge to laugh. She was currently trying to remove his blindfold without waking him. Clearly, her patience over his constant covering of his scars had worn out. Finally giving up on trying to undo the knot with just two fingers, Leone instead moved to pull the blindfold up and off his face completely. "Having fun, are we?" he asked, causing her to jump back with the funniest look of shock. In fact, everyone in the room turned and looked at him in surprise since they all thought he was still asleep. Sitting up and stretching, he ignored Leone's stammering as she tried to get over him doing that _again_.

"So, what's on the schedule for today?" he asked, turning to the others and yawning. "Bro and I were just about to begin training, actually," Tatsumi said, getting up and following Bulat as he left. "Bulat, be careful with the kid, alright? He's still fragile," Haru called out, getting up and smiling at the look Tatsumi shot him. "Don't worry, I'll handle him with care," Bulat responded, smiling. This just caused Tatsumi to shudder slightly, and Haru to laugh softly as they left. Gathering his weapons from where he had dropped them, Haru went to return to his room only to be stopped by a firm hand on his shoulder.

"Since he's tied up in training, you will help me this morning," Akame said before heading into the kitchen. Sighing, Haru put his stuff back down before laying his cloak over it. By this point, Leone had recovered from her scare earlier. "Are you ever going to show us your scars?" she asked, looking a little ticked-off, "It can't be that bad, since you can still see." Choosing to say nothing, Haru just walked into the kitchen as Leone stared at his back. For whatever reason, his refusal to show them was beginning to get under her skin.

Grabbing a knife from the holder, Haru asked, "So, what's on the menu?" "We're making Croquette bowls," Akame replied simply without turning around. _She doesn't play around when it comes to food_ Haru thought as he got to work. "Why don't you show your scars?" Akame asked after a while. The fact that she had waited so long told Haru that it was something that had been eating at her for a while. "It's personal," Haru replied, "Not something I like to display." "Why? You showed me, after all." "I… that was more out of apology, really," he said, "Anyway, I don't like showing people what I've had to become." "And what is that?"

Setting his knife down, Haru braced himself on the table. Whether Akame knew it or not, she was close to an issue that had been tormenting him for the longest time. "I made the mistake of displaying this openly before, and it resulted in the entire town turning on me," he said, "I can never go back without someone trying to kill me. That's what happens when you become a…monster." After that, neither of them spoke, although glancing over Haru could tell that she had tensed up after that last remark. However, it wasn't something he was about to take back. It was the truth, after all.

While it hadn't been pleasant to have it thrown into his face the way that it had, he had to admit that those people had been right. He had sacrificed a part of himself and become a monster by accepting a part of a Danger Beast into his being. Granted, he wasn't anything like those that ran the Empire, or those that prayed on the weak. He was a monster created to destroy them. But he was a monster nonetheless, and he had known going in that he would always be regarded as such even after they had won. Lost in these thoughts, Haru felt himself drifting into a familiar gloom and failed to notice the look of concern Akame gave him.

When she went out to get Tatsumi and Bulat, Haru set out the bowls while Leone and Lubbock sat down. They both seemed to sense the gloom hanging around their friend and tried to lighten the mood. Rather than let them catch his depression, Haru laughed along with them as the others returned and ate. To Tatsumi's surprise, Mine and Sheele had yet to come down and eat. When he asked, Leone just said, "Yeah, they normally sleep in late." Moving quickly, Akame reached over and emptied their bowls before wiping her mouth, causing Tatsumi to gape at her and Haru to laugh softly. As he got up to start gathering the bowls, it looked as if Akame was going to say something, but then decided against it. Much to his relief, Haru managed to make it out of there before Mine and Sheele came down to eat. He could hear the pipsqueak complaining already, and heard Tatsumi's answering shouts as she accused him of eating her food.

Making his way outside to the training field, Haru walked over to what had become his personal space to train. The ground had a permanent ring scorched into the surface from his exercises. Sitting down in the center, he took a deep breath before whispering, "Thýella." Flames quickly sprang up in the circle around him and spread to cover it completely. Focusing on the heat, Haru fed them more energy and slowly made the ring of fire grow taller. He was completely concealed in moments as it grew to two meters tall, but he still kept going. Unknown to him, Tatsumi and Bulat had come back out to continue their training only to see what looked like a fire tornado. While Tatsumi could only stare in shock, Bulat just smiled and shook his head.

"What the heck is that, Bro?" Tatsumi finally managed. "That's just Haru," he replied before picking his weighted staff up to continue his exercises. Tatsumi just continued to watch as the fire continued to grow. Inside the twister, Haru continued to concentrate as the flames grew past four meters tall. While he was able to block the heat from scorching him, he was starting to sweat from the strain of keeping so much fire alive. When the fire finally reached a height of five meters, he held it there while he silently counted to thirty in his head. Once he had, he slowly began to snuff the flames out, trying very hard to maintain his control. The pillar of fire shrank faster than it had grown and within a minute it had gone out completely, leaving behind a smoking ring and an exhausted Haru.

He knew from previous sessions that he wouldn't be able to stand for some time after that, so Haru just sat there as he tried to catch his breath. Looking up, he noticed that he had gathered a small audience; Tatsumi stood on the porch and stared at him, clearly unaware that Leone had come up behind him. "That's… How can you do that?" Tatsumi asked after a moment. "Very carefully," Haru replied, "Not something I can easily produce in a fight, either." "Why?" "Keeping fire alive when it doesn't have a fuel source is very taxing," he told Tatsumi, "It drains you physically and mentally. It also scales with the amount of fire you're trying to maintain." As he explained this, he noticed that Tatsumi was listening intently to every word. _He's eager to learn. That's good_ Haru thought as he felt his strength returning.

However, he couldn't keep his legs from shaking as he finally stood back up. Walking past Tatsumi, Leone went to help him, saying, "You really should bring a walking stick with you when you do this." "Because leaning on a stick after training isn't humiliating at all," Haru replied as she wrapped an arm around his shoulders for support. With Leone's help, he got back to the porch and sat on the edge, still breathing heavily from the strain. "So, what kind of Imperial Arms do you use?" Tatsumi asked, sitting next to him. "A dangerous one, even to the wielder," Haru replied, "Come to think of it, we never properly explained the Imperial Arms to you, did we?"

When Tatsumi shook his head, Haru decided that now was as good a time as any. "They were originally created by the first Emperor," he explained, "They were meant to be used to safeguard his kingdom against any threats, even after he had died. He summoned the brightest minds from across the land, the most skilled craftsman, and sent out parties to collect the rarest materials they could find. No one knows how long it took exactly, but what is known is that by the end they had created 48 Imperial Arms. Their abilities varied, but each of them gave their user incredible power. Some of them were even strong enough to wipe out entire armies." "Like yours?" Tatsumi asked, completely engrossed in the story. Leone had left by this point, deciding to leave the boys alone. "Mine could, theoretically," Haru replied, "Although it would take me a few years to reach that level of skill. Anyway, he had succeeded in creating the most powerful weapons ever seen. But, during the civil war five hundred years ago, roughly half of them were scattered across the land. No one knows how many are left now."

"I wonder if I'll ever get one," Tatsumi mused, looking out at the trees, "Everyone here seems to have one already." "I'm sure you will," Haru replied, patting his back, "And even if you don't, you're still strong enough to succeed without one." "I doubt that." "You survived a fight with Akame," Haru said, looking at him, "Even though it was a short one, that's not an easy thing to do. You also managed to knock me down." "But you weren't really trying," Tatsumi replied, letting his head drop. For whatever reason, it looked like he felt guilty for not having an Imperial Arms. "True, but you know my weakness now," Haru told him, "And that's something you should keep in mind. No matter how powerful your opponent, there's always a weak point."

"Really? It seems like Bro's the exception to that rule," Tatsumi said, the ghost of a smile starting to form. "It would seem that way, wouldn't it?" he asked, laughing softly, "But, he does have a weakness; me." "Wait, how?" "My weapon specializes in large-scale destruction at range," Haru told him, "Against physical weapons, like Bulat's armor, I have the advantage. I can just stay at range and roast him." Tatsumi just remained silent after that. Clearly, he was trying to imagine what a fight between Haru and 'Bro' would look like. "What about another weapon like yours?" he asked finally.

"That would depend on what it's capable of," Haru answered, getting up, "Anyway, I think that's enough slacking off for today. Get back to your training, newbie." While Tatsumi tried to look cross at Haru calling him newbie, he still smiled as he walked back out onto the field and picked his sword back up. The blade was ridiculously large and heavy, but that was the point. Heading back inside, Haru suddenly remembered that he had left his things behind in the common room and went to retrieve them. After he had gathered them up, he walked back to his room while trying to stifle a yawn. Once he had put his weapons up and his hung his cloak on a chair, Haru spent the next few hours laying on his bed as he tried to recover the rest of his strength.

His planned down-time was interrupted by a soft knock at his door. When he opened it, he was surprised to see Akame, of all people, standing out there. He invited her in before sitting back down on his bed. "Why do you call yourself a monster?" Akame asked abruptly as she stood there. She had almost, _almost_ been willing to let his earlier comment pass, but something wouldn't allow her to. It wasn't something that she could put into concrete terms, which frustrated her. That this force, whatever it was, wouldn't let her ignore this on any level just added to that frustration. Haru was oblivious to this internal struggle, however, but still struggled to answer the question. "Because," he said finally, "It's the truth." "Why?" That one was harder to answer, and Haru was at a loss to find the right words. Finally looking at her closer, he saw a sign of the turmoil she was currently in. While her body language didn't betray it, her eyes weren't as focused as they usually were.

"It's not because I'm a killer," he said, "I'm sure of that, since I can't consider most of those we've killed to be human." "Then what is it?" she asked, crossing her arms. "I… I chose to accept part of a Danger Beast, Akame," he replied finally, feeling defeated. Thinking this was one thing, but admitting it out loud was like blurting out something that was just plain _wrong_. "So, to most people I'm no different from the things that try to kill them when they are in the wilderness," he continued. They just remained where they were in silence for a few minutes after that. Haru was still clearly scarred by what he had been exposed to over the years and had allowed it to color his opinion of himself. Meanwhile, Akame had been raised to be a killer and had absolutely no idea how to rein in the emotions running rampant through her mind.

"If that's all you came here to ask me, then…" Haru said, getting up. Before he could finish his sentence, or even react, Akame stepped forward quickly and wrapped her arms around him in a hug. Since he was only slightly taller than she was, her head rested perfectly on his shoulder. Haru had rarely ever experienced moments in his life that made him go blank, but this was one of them; he didn't know what to do or say. There wasn't anything he could focus on besides the warmth of Akame pressing against him, or the comfort of her embrace. "You're not a monster," she whispered before drawing back slightly. Looking at her in utter surprise, Haru finally felt his brain returning to normal. With it came a particular observation; her face was only a few centimeters from his, and he could see every detail in her red eyes. While it was breathtaking, the proximity caused him to flush rather quickly.

"Uh…thanks," he said awkwardly as he stepped back, "R-really, that means… that's nice to hear, at least." "I mean it, Haru," she said, tilting her head. She couldn't quite understand why he seemed so embarrassed right now. "Our Boss has another mission for us," she added as she turned to leave, "Gather your things." After she had left, Haru dropped back onto his bed as he tried to keep his head from spinning. Why such a simple thing had thrown him off balance, he didn't know. But it had, and the fact that he couldn't quite nail down the reason why was starting to frustrate him. Shaking his head to clear it, he grabbed his cloak and strapped his weapons back on before heading out the door. Hopefully, whatever new job they had would help to distract him.

"Our target is the slasher that is currently in the capitol," Najenda told the assembled members of Night Raid, "He always appears at night, and he takes the heads off people indiscriminately. We're not sure how many have died, but almost a third of them are city guards." "That sounds like Zank the Executioner to me," Lubbock said, crossing his arms. He definitely didn't look pleased with the prospect of fighting this guy. "Who's that?" Tatsumi asked. As they explained, Haru found his mind wandering over what he knew of the guy personally. He had witnessed a public execution held by the man, and it had been…disturbing. The fact that someone could appear to be so happy when he beheaded people wasn't something he wanted to dwell on. After it was all said and done, they paired off before heading into the capitol. And Haru just so happened to get paired with Akame, which left him just a little suspicious since he had seen a mischievous grin on Leone's face when they left.

After about an hour of wandering the deserted streets of the capitol, Haru finally realized the sheer terror this one man had inflicted. Normally there would be all manner of people out and about at night, but everyone had shut themselves up in their homes. So, except for a few guard patrols, Night Raid had free rein to go where they pleased. Collapsing on a nearby bench, Haru sighed as he rubbed a knot that had been forming in his calf. He hadn't completely recovered from the strain of his fire exercise earlier, and his body was reaping its revenge. Sitting next to him, Akame grabbed a snack out of the bag she had brought before offering him one. While they were simple protein bars, Haru had skipped dinner and accepted one gratefully. However, he could only stand the silence for so long before he had to speak up.

"So, why did you feel the need to confront me about my…comment?" he asked finally. Rather than answer, Akame just looked out at the street while avoiding his eyes. Even though he wore a blindfold, she had learned the signs when he was looking at someone specifically and didn't want to betray her inner turmoil. It was embarrassing that she was being so unprofessional, and she didn't want others to know about it. Shrugging, Haru turned back around right before he saw movement in an alley nearby. It was only fleeting, but he could have sworn he saw the tail end of a familiar scarf. Getting up, he walked over to the alley while saying, "Sorry, nature's calling."

Once he was there, he took a moment to let his eyes adjust before he saw someone standing at the other end of the alley. More importantly, it was someone that he knew was dead, had been dead for a few years now. However, this specter, or whatever, left him completely dumbstruck as he continued to stare. It was his older sister, just standing there with her arms crossed like she expected something. She wore a simple blue dress that went down to her knees and a light blue scarf wrapped around her neck. "A-Aki?" he asked just above a whisper. In response, she just smiled before turning and jogging away. This jolted Haru into motion, and he quickly ran after her. _It's not possible_ he told himself, but he still had to be sure. But no matter how fast he ran, she seemed to stay just ahead of him. Finally, she stopped in a courtyard and turned to look at him with a small smile.

"Aki, is that you?" he asked again, staying where he was. There was something at the back of his mind that was screaming danger, but he still had to know, _needed_ to know. Her smile just grew broader while she remained silent. "How are you alive?" he asked, taking a step forward. "Well, that's easy; no one has been able to kill me," he heard from where Aki stood. And just like that, the image of his sister faded, replaced with a large man with blonde hair and the evilest grin imaginable. "Good evening," he said simply. "Zank the Executioner, I presume?" Haru said, trying hard not to show the man how rattled he was, and how utterly pissed-off he was. That he could project such a life-like image so far was impressive, but also didn't bode well.

"Very good! I am Zank, and it seems you're my next victim," he said, his smile growing broader, "So, who did I show you, hm? A long lost lover, perhaps? You seemed close." "That's none of your business, old man," Haru said, drawing his sword. "Oh, I see. That was your sister, wasn't it?" he asked, ignoring the insult, "She's long dead now, isn't she? Such a shame." For a moment, Haru couldn't move. Hell, he could barely think. _How does he know that_ he wondered before noticing the weird eye on Zank's forehead. The moment he noticed it, Zank laughed, saying, "Yes, you're right. This is my Imperial Arms; Spectator. It's such a lovely weapon, allowing me to see everything." "And here I thought it was just a weird zit," Haru said with a smirk as he tried to figure out how it worked.

However, he wasn't three seconds into his analysis when something occurred to him. That thing clearly had the power of projection, but Zank had also known what he was thinking. "That thing has multiple abilities, doesn't it?" he asked, tensing slightly. "Very good, very good! Yes, it has five to be exact," Zank answered, surprising Haru, "I used it's Farsight to locate you, and I must say you are one of the more interesting members of your little group." "And how do you figure that?" "You wear a blindfold, but it's not because you're blind," Zank said, flicking his wrists to deploy his own blades, "It's because you're ashamed of what you've had to do, isn't it? You hate what you've become, since it was a Danger Beast that killed your family. Now, you've practically become that which you hate."

Haru just grit his teeth as the man continued to rant and decided that now was as good a time as any. Rushing him suddenly, he brought his sword up in an attempt to remove Zank's head. However, he just brought one of his wrist blades up and stopped Haru's swipe cold while smiling at him. "You thought that attacking while I talked would give you an advantage?" he asked, throwing Haru back, "Clever, but ultimately useless. I can see everything you're thinking, and I know what you're going to do before you do it." "Is that so? Then how about this!" Haru said, springing at him again. He made several attempts, but Zank blocked them all while calling out exactly what Haru was going to do just before he did it. This only served to frustrate him further as he realized the bastard was toying with him.

"Why are you still holding back, assassin?" Zank asked when Haru had fallen back again, "Use your Demon's Sight, and let's have a real battle." "If you know what I can do, then you know that it's not a good idea to let it loose here," Haru replied, smiling coldly, "Unless you want every guard in the area on us." "True, true. Although, that would give me more people to kill," Zank said, his smile returning, "But, I guess you'll have to do for now!" With that, he went on the offensive, throwing multiple stabs and slashes at Haru. He just managed to block most of them, but a few attacks got past and hit. By the end of the barrage, he had several cuts along his arms and legs. Deciding that he could risk at least a little fire, he whispered, "zündung," before striking the ground and causing an explosion.

Zank, unfortunately, had seen this coming and managed to leap clear before landing with a smile, which was starting to piss Haru off. Clutching at one of the deeper cuts, Haru struggled to think of a way to beat him. "My, my, such a struggle for you, isn't it?" Zank asked, "You could always use your full power to try to kill me, but then you'd risk discovery. But if we continue like this, then you know you don't have a chance at beating me. That's what you're thinking, right?" "Not even close," Haru lied, determined not to let this guy worm his way into his head, which was ironic considering what that Imperial Arms was capable of. _I just need to hold out until help gets here_ Haru thought as he looked around. Hopefully, someone had heard that explosion and would come to see what was up. Even if it was the guards, he could always play it off as one of Zank's attacks and not his own.

"You're hoping someone will come and help you?" Zank asked, walking forward, "Sorry, but there's no one around to save you. It's just you and me. Now, shall we continue?" Leaping forward again, Zank brought his blades up in preparation to take Haru's head. Reacting on instinct, Haru dodged to the right before grabbing one of his knives and throwing it at Zank's head, momentarily throwing him off balance. Taking advantage of this, Haru swept one of his legs out before bringing his sword in towards his chest. Zank managed to twist midair and avoid most of the blade, but Haru still managed to nick him before he was forced to jump clear of Zank's own blades. "So much for always knowing what I'm going to do," Haru said, grinning as Zank stood back up. Judging from his expression, he was clearly ticked off. "I was only going to take your head," he said, his smile turning ugly, "But now, I think I'm going to take you apart completely."


	6. Chapter 6

Haru was ready for this next attack, and Zank was probably aware of it and just didn't care. He charged anyway with his trademark grin. Bracing himself, Haru waited until the last second and dove to the side. Twisting in the air to keep Zank in sight, he saw that he had moved to lash out at his leg. Haru just managed to twist that leg to keep it clear of the blade, but it was a near thing and resulted in him landing awkwardly. This gave Zank the opening he needed and he took full advantage of it. Lashing out with his other blade he cut down along Haru's leg, and he winced as he leaped back further while taking a swing at Zank to force him back. When he landed again, Haru winced again as he was forced to take some of the weight off his left leg. The wound wasn't enough to cripple him, but it was a serious handicap.

Looking up, he noticed too late that Zank had charged again. All he could do was bring his sword up and prepare to defend. Before he could crash into Haru again, a katana was thrown down into the ground between them, forcing Zank to break off his attack. Haru just smiled as Akame leaped from a nearby rooftop and landed between them, grabbing her sword and bringing it up in one smooth motion. "So, no one's coming to help, eh?" Haru asked as he moved up next to her, "Any other predictions you want to make, Zank?" "My, now this is a surprise," he said, his smile growing broader, "You're the assassin Akame, right?"

Ignoring Zank, Akame turned her attention to Haru and noticed his wounds. "Are you okay?" she asked, her gaze softening slightly. "I'm still breathing and can move," Haru replied, rotating his sword arm and trying not to show the pain, "So yeah, I'm fine." She almost looked like she was about to press the issue, but then returned her focus to their opponent. "I'll finish this quickly then," she said, her gaze hardening, "Then tend to your wounds." "My, how touching," Zank said, laughing, "You sure do like to play the professional, don't you Akame? You're reeling between furious and concerned, and all because of the young man standing beside you." While Zank was relying on his Imperial Arms to know if he had struck a nerve, Haru could tell that he had just by looking at Akame. She tensed up ever so slightly, and Haru could guess at the reason why.

"Should have mentioned, but that freaky third eye is his Imperial Arms," he said, readying his own sword, "He can read our thoughts, although God only knows if that's its only power. He did lure me here with a very convincing illusion." "Now why would you go and ruin all the fun?" Zank asked, almost sounding like a pouting child. "If it can read minds, then the solution is simple," Akame said, bringing her sword down and closing her eyes. Even if Zank didn't have his Imperial Arms, he would have been able to sense the change in her. "Oh, you've reached a state of nothingness," he admired, lowering his blades slightly, "Impressive, but ultimately useless. I can tell what you're about to do by your muscle tension."

While Haru prayed that the bastard was only bluffing, he was proven wrong in the next instant. Akame leaped at him almost faster than Haru could follow and brought her sword up to stab him through the heart. And he deflected it. Not only that, he managed to counter and put a cut into her left thigh, forcing her back as he grinned over his victory. "Well, that's just great," Haru said, feeling his frustration peak, "You can read our minds _and_ bodies. So now what do we do?" In answer to that question, Akame charged Zank again.

This time they traded several blows, and the ringing of clashing metal spread throughout the courtyard as they both vied for a killing blow. For Akame's Murasame, that would be easy enough. She would only have to scratch him and the battle would be over. However, Zank could read her every thought and was able to block or dodge every attempt flawlessly. When they broke away again, they were both breathing heavily. _Screw the pain; it's time to get off the damn bench_ Haru thought as he readied himself. Much to his good fortune, Zank's fight with Akame had made him face away from where he stood. While he wasn't completely behind the man, he was fairly sure that he would have a few seconds before his Imperial Arms kicked in against him.

Springing at him, Haru brought his sword up as he yelled, "Hey, old man! You forget about someone?" Zank wheeled around and just barely managed to stop Haru from taking his arm off. This was just what Haru had hoped Zank would do. "Akame, now!" he cried as he put more weight behind his sword. While he must have known about Haru's plan the moment he turned his attention back to him, there wasn't anything he could really do. Turning his head, he saw that Akame had taken the que and had charged him again. And this is where Haru nearly, _nearly_ , had his second moment where his mind just stopped working.

Rather than trying to block both swordsmen at once, Zank shifted his weight and sent Haru stumbling past him. With one leg he swept Haru's feet out from under him, and with his other arm he grabbed the back of his cloak and hurled him at Akame, bowling them both over while he gained some distance. They landed in an awkward pile, and it was only due to Akame's quick reflexes that her sword didn't cut Haru as they collided. Picking himself up, he noticed that he was unintentionally straddling her, and he quickly scrambled to get up again as he tried to fight down a blush. Akame seemed oblivious to this and just picked herself up before turning to face Zank again. Instead of taking advantage of their landing, Zank had chosen to remain at a distance, which was puzzling.

"Say, before I forget, I had a question I wanted to ask you, Akame," Zank said, smiling that smile that was really starting to get under Haru's skin, "How do you deal with the voices?" "Voices?" she asked, sounding confused. Haru had to agree with that confusion; he had absolutely no idea what the hell this guy meant. "You know," he said, his grin taking on a disturbing look, "The ones you hear when you get really quiet. The voices of all those you've killed, groaning in hell. They hold a grudge against me, and they want me to join them. I talk to drown them out, but how do you-?" "I don't hear any voices," she said simply as she brought her sword back up again. This didn't appear to be the answer that Zank wanted, and he looked at Haru questioningly. "Sorry, old man," he said, "The only voices I hear are those of the living."

"That's disappointing," he said, shaking his head, "I thought I'd be able to talk about this with someone like you. But it seems I was wrong. So, I guess this is how it will end. How depressing." With that, his Imperial Arms opened again, and Akame suddenly looked utterly surprised. "Kurome?" she asked just above a whisper. Haru had to strain to hear it, although he had no idea what she meant. "Hey, Akame, you alright?" he asked, bringing his own sword up, "Akame? Hey, answer me! Akame!"

"It's no use," Zank said, his smile returning, "She's under the effect of my Illusion Sight. Right now, it's showing her the one she values the most. Even though it's limited to one person, nothing can break the illusion." Turning back to Zank, Haru grit his teeth as he tried to think. _From the sound of it, that's probably his trump card. If that's the case, then maybe he can't use its other powers so long as it's active_. Bringing his blades up, Zank charged while saying, "No matter how experienced someone is, it's impossible for them to kill the one they care about the most!"

Haru noticed Akame tense next to him, and he saw what Zank clearly didn't. This wasn't someone locking up in helplessness; this was Akame preparing to finish this in one blow. Whoever that eye was showing her, she was prepared to kill them. Haru felt something take control at that point, and it wasn't his conscious mind. Just before Zank got too close, and Akame brought her blade back, he reached out and grabbed her arm. Shoving her back, Haru moved between them and brought his sword down, crying, "Zündung!" Zank barely managed to dodge the wave of flames and looked genuinely surprised that Haru had intervened.

Before he could recover, Haru charged him again, although there wasn't much more he could do now. After two blasts of flame he was starting to feel a little wobbly, while Zank was still in relatively good shape. However, he noticed that his intervention had broken whatever hypnosis Akame had been under. He also noticed that Zank's blades felt differently from before. There was more give to them now, and Haru took full advantage of this as he put all of his strength into his blows. "I can read your mind, monster!" Zank said, trying to mess with him, "You honestly think you can beat me now?"

In response, Haru brought his sword down on his blades as hard as he could. The cracking of the metal was clearly heard by them both, and Zank's expression turned from aggressive confidence to slightly panicked as he finally noticed. "You're finished now, bastard," Haru said as he brought his sword back. "I'm not dying here!" Zank shouted, clearly desperate as he lashed out. As Haru brought his sword up, he said, "Akame!"

His sword broke Zank's left blade, and before he could do anything with his other one Haru moved forward and locked his hand around that wrist. He was about to try and pry Haru off when Akame appeared in front of him. It was over in a second, his throat spewing blood as he fell back. Haru watched as the script signaling the cursed poison slowly spread from the wound. "You shouldn't hear the voices now, Zank," she said as she sheathed her blade. For the first time, Zank looked like he was at peace. "Yes… they've stopped…" he said, "Thank you… Akame…"

After his eyes had closed, Haru walked over and quickly removed the eye from his forehead. It had closed when it sensed that its user had expired, and Haru examined it curiously. At least, he did until he heard people coming towards them. "We need to leave," Akame said, grabbing his arm. He nodded and followed her as they just barely avoided the guards. Thankfully, they hadn't been spotted, so their trip out of the city was easy after that. As they made their way to the meeting point just outside the city to wait for the others, Haru noticed that the sun was starting to rise.

Once they had arrived, Haru tended to his wounds as best as he could while fending Akame off, telling her that he would be just fine. Thankfully none of them were life-threatening, so he could wait till they got back to wrap them properly. From where they sat in the hills, it was actually a very beautiful view. The sun was just starting to crest over the distant hills, and the clouds took on a vibrant collection of oranges and reds.

Deciding to actually enjoy it, Haru reached up and removed his blindfold before scratching the bridge of his nose. The cloth was starting to rub him uncomfortably, so he would need a new one soon. Not too long after he removed it, he noticed that Akame was looking at him again. "What?" he asked, confused. "I've only ever seen you do that once," she said. "Well, I may be able to see through it, but it's nice to remove it once in a while," he said as he lay down on the grass. "Why do you keep it covered around us?" she asked, deciding to push the issue again. "Because I don't like showing people what I've become," he explained, "Zank may have been a bastard, but he was right. I'm a monster, a freaking half-breed. There's nothing more to it."

"I've seen real monsters, Haru," she said, "They fight, kill, rape and steal. They don't care to help anyone else. Is that what you are?" Bringing himself up on one arm, he looked right at her. "Take a good, long look at me, Akame," he said, "Do I seriously look like I'm still human? Can you honestly tell me that you see something besides the eyes of a Danger Beast?" And she did. She took a long, close look at him, examining everything. For some reason she felt something stir inside her, and it wasn't the disgust that he seemed to expect. "I see a man willing to do whatever is necessary to get stronger," she said after a few moments thought, "Someone willing to make sacrifices so others will never have to."

"Well, that's nice to hear, at least," he said, turning away. She could tell that he didn't believe her, and for some reason that struck a nerve. "I mean it, Haru," she said, putting some more authority into her voice. He just turned back and watched the sunrise. Once again, she found that his actions were striking a nerve with her, one that she didn't even know existed but clearly did. Rather than press the issue, she let it drop for now, although she was already planning a way to try to get him over whatever this mindset was.

After almost an hour, the others started to show up. Spotting the first group in the distance, Haru quickly replaced his blindfold before they got too close. He knew that Akame meant well, but she was trying to fix something that couldn't really be fixed. He should know; he had tried once already. Looking up, he saw that it was Leone and Mine that had arrived. "So, I assume that explosion was you?" Leone asked, smiling sweetly. "Well, when all else fails, blow shit up, right?" he replied, smiling back. "Very subtle, matchstick," Mine said as she sat down, "Why don't you just hang a sign that says 'come get me' next time?" "Hey, I always enjoy a challenge," he said, determined not to rise to her bait, "We also got a bonus out of this."

Reaching into his pocket, he showed them Zank's Imperial Arms and proceeded to explain what it did. While Leone seemed impressed that they had beaten a mind-reader, Mine was steadfastly remaining unimpressed. It wasn't much longer before the others arrived, and they all decided to make their way back home before people started going about their day. On the way back, Bulat seemed to remember something and moved to catch up with Haru. "Oh yeah, before I forget, you're up next," he said, slapping his back. "For what?" Haru asked, trying hard not to flinch from the strength of the blow. "The boss wants Tatsumi to get some experience from our resident hell-raiser," he said, "So you get to spend some time with him." "Please don't put it like that," Haru said, trying not to shiver, "Besides, I thought Sheele was training him next." "She was, but the boss changed her mind," Bulat said before moving on ahead. This just left Haru with a headache as they continued on.

The rest of the walk back was uneventful, something which Haru was thankful for. He was already starting to feel the effects of such a close fight, and he could tell that some of his wounds had started to open again from the hike. After they entered the hideout, he asked Tatsumi to find something to occupy himself while he went and rebound his wounds. As he undid the wrapping on the gash in his left bicep, he realized that it would need a few stitches to heal properly. _Goddamnit_ he thought as he grabbed a needle and some thread. Thankfully, Sheele happened to walk by as he sat down and noticed the grimace on his face.

"Is something wrong?" she asked, walking over. "Not really. I just get to sew myself back up," he replied as he gripped the needle between two fingers. After he threaded it, he focused on the tip and heated the needle up before turning to start. "Allow me," Sheele offered, extending a hand for the needle. "You've done this before, right?" he asked. Haru was well aware that Sheele could be quite the air-head at times, and he didn't want someone turning him into a pin-cushion. "Twice, actually," she said, smiling, "It wasn't that hard, really." Figuring she couldn't do much more damage, he handed her the needle before bracing his arm so she could get at it cleanly.

The first part was the worse, since she seemed to hesitate a few times before pulling it all the way through. Haru just grit his teeth as it slid through his skin, trying _really hard_ not to set the entire room on fire. Finally, after what felt like an eternity, he heard the snipping of scissors and felt a quick jerk as she tied the string off. "There, all better!" she said, wiping her hands clean on a rag nearby. He was grateful that the wound had already started to close on its own, so there wasn't much blood. "Thank you, Sheele," he said as he grabbed some gauze to wrap the stitches.

"Did you need help on anything else?" she asked, smiling. "Maybe you could answer a question for me," he said, "Can you tell me why Akame is acting so…pushy?" "Pushy? About what?" she asked, looking confused. "For whatever reason, she seems to be dead-set on figuring out why I do…some of the things I do," he replied, "I can't figure out why, and I've never seen her fuss this much over something pointless." "Maybe she doesn't consider it pointless," Sheele said, standing up, "I may not know much, but I do know that when Akame has a strong feeling about something, there's not much that can stop her."

After she left, Haru pondered that for a while. _What could possibly be bothering her? It can't be me admitting the truth about myself, can it?_ Shaking his head, Haru got up and went back down to the main room to collect Tatsumi for his training. Although, he didn't know what he could actually teach the kid. They made their way out to the lake where they had dueled previously while he tried to think of what he could actually teach Tatsumi. "So, Tatsumi, is there anything specific you'd like to learn?" he asked, turning to him. He gave it some serious thought for a while, and this let Haru make a subtle check of his wounds, just to make sure that they weren't going to reopen again.

Finally, he asked, "Can you teach me how to fight Imperial Arms?" This took Haru by surprise, since he hadn't expected him to ask for something so blatantly dangerous. "You realize what you're asking, right?" he asked, just to make sure, "It's not something you can really learn properly without an Imperial Arms of your own." "I thought so," Tatsumi said, looking depressed, "And that's not happening any time soon." "Did you try Zank's?" "Yeah, and it rejected me after about five seconds," Tatsumi told him, trying to smile, "So, let's try something else." Before Tatsumi could give up on the idea completely, Haru drew his sword with a smile. "I hope you remember how to dodge, then," he said, bringing his sword back.

Tatsumi had all of three seconds to leap to the side as Haru threw a wave of fire at him. "Are you trying to kill me?!" he asked, sitting up. "You wanted to learn how to fight Imperial Arms," Haru said, walking forward, "So, your first lesson is to stay on the move. Now back on your feet, newbie!" With that, Haru sent another fireball at Tatsumi. While he still hadn't fully recovered from last night, Haru was keeping his attacks rather small to extend his endurance. It also meant that he could throw his fire much faster than normal, and this helped to keep Tatsumi moving.

"The next thing you need to learn is how to analyze your opponent on the fly," Haru told him, "Since you already know about mine, how about you tell me what you know about the others?" "While you're throwing fire at me?" he asked just before ducking under another fireball. "You think an enemy is going to be kind to you, newbie?" Haru replied, smiling at how Tatsumi glared at him for that, "This won't be a friendly, civil duel. It will be a fight to the death, and no tactic is off-limits. Now, tell me about Leone's Imperial Arms." With an explosive sigh that turned into a yelp as another fireball just barely missed his head, Tatsumi began explaining everything that he knew about the various Imperial Arms used by Night Raid. While Haru was impressed that Tatsumi knew most of the abilities, he was disappointed to find that he didn't know many of the finer details.

Their training continued for another two hours before Haru felt himself starting to seriously weaken. Sheathing his sword, Haru waved Tatsumi over as he turned to head back to the hideout. "Well, you still have a long way to go," he told Tatsumi, "But you've got real promise. Just remember what you learned today." "And what the hell did I learn today?" Tatsumi asked, still a little pissed. "That your mind is your best weapon," he told him, "And you'd better remember to use it, newbie." "Will you stop calling me that?!" "Only when you're not a newbie, newbie," Haru replied, dodging Tatsumi's swipe at his shoulder.

When they arrived back at the hideout, Leone grabbed Tatsumi before they could make it out of the main room, saying that she needed someone to come with her into town for a job. Rather than come to his defense, Haru just smiled and waved as he was dragged off before turning around and collapsing on the nearest couch. He was completely beat. His more intense training sessions aside, he had used more fire in the last few hours than he normally dared. That, on top of the actual physical combat, had quickly left him wanting nothing more than to sleep the rest of the day away. Unfortunately, someone had other ideas.

"What do you think you're doing here, matchstick?" Mine asked, walking up and glaring at him as he rolled onto his side. "Trying to sleep," he replied, trying not to growl, "Did you need something?" "I was just wondering if you were going to leave Akame to cook alone," she said, smiling slightly, "You two seem to work well together." "Me using knives when I can barely keep my eyes open is a bad idea," he replied, turning back over, "And I'm not sure I like what you're implying." "I'm not sure what you mean," she replied, her tone making it clear that she knew all too well what he meant, "I was just saying that you two seem to make a good team."

Deciding to ignore her rather than reply, Haru waited until she had given up and left before rolling onto his back. He quickly passed out after that, and was therefore unaware that Akame had wandered into the room. Noticing him asleep on the couch, she walked over and looked down at him. He looked so peaceful, and she felt that strange something stirring again. She tried to finally nail down whatever this was, but she once again failed to do so. For reasons she couldn't explain, she felt better when Haru was around. His compliments brightened her day, and he always seemed to know how to make her smile.

Bending over, she brushed a few stray strands of hair out of his face as she continued to look at him. _What is this feeling_ she wondered again. She was a professional, for God's sake; used to knowing exactly what she was feeling at any given moment. When he stirred slightly, she came back to her senses and realized how close she was to him. For some reason, she felt her cheeks warm up a bit as she straightened back up. Shaking her head, she tried to clear the blush as she went back into the kitchen. There was lunch to prepare, after all, and she was also getting hungry.

Unknown to her, Mine had seen the entire thing from the doorway, and she smiled slightly as she saw how Akame doted over the matchstick. She had always held him in a kind of reserved awe. It was impressive that Haru was able to wield the power that he did, but she was also aware that he was still far from mastering his Imperial Arms. However, it was nice to see Akame showing human desire for once, other than a craving for meat. As she turned to head back to her room, she made a note to tell Leone about this. The two of them would definitely have to take steps to make sure that those two didn't do something to wreck this budding relationship.

When Haru finally woke up, he yawned and stretched before noticing that it was getting dark outside. He didn't have much time to ponder this as Akame came into the room and leaned down in front of him. "You slept through lunch," she said, looking annoyed, "And dinner." "Yeah, well when you've used as much fire as I have, you'd want to sleep all day, too," he told her as he got up. That was the point when he noticed a letter on the coffee table addressed to him. "When did that arrive?" he asked, sounding excited. If it was what he hoped it to be, then his day was about to get better. "It arrived about an hour ago," Akame told him without looking away, "Are you going to actually eat something?"

"I will later," he said, picking it up, "I'm just going to attend to this first." When her look turned skeptical, Haru felt himself growing nervous. _Why the hell does her approval feel like it means a lot to me_ he wondered. "Look, it's just a simple pick-up job," he said, trying to sound convincing, "I'll be there and back inside an hour, two at most. If you're so worried, then put something aside for me, okay?" She just stared at him for another few moments before nodding and walking away. Haru just breathed a sigh of relief before grabbing his things and heading out. Had he known how things would go, Haru would have seriously considered sitting down to dinner first.


	7. Chapter 7

When he finally made it into the capital, he noticed that the air felt…off. He couldn't quite place the feeling, but he was aware that it wasn't just his mind playing tricks on him. Slowing his pace down to a walk, Haru began paying more attention to his surroundings as he continued into the city. _Something's wrong_ he thought as he walked, _why does this feel so familiar?_ As he continued through the streets, he noticed that people were still staying inside at night for the most part. Even with Zank dead, there were still plenty of people that were scared. He couldn't really blame them. They were probably finally figuring out that the capitol was turning into a battleground.

He was pulled from his thoughts when he heard shots in the distance. First, a machine gun, but then he heard the unmistakable sound of Pumpkin firing. Mine would only open fire with that much force if it was a serious fight, and not just some guards. As if struck with lightening, Haru dashed down the streets, almost a blur as he followed the sounds of shooting. The second explosion he heard was far larger than the first, and it just made him run faster. _Damnit, what the hell did that shrimp get into this time_ he wondered as he rounded a corner.

When he heard the sound of a whistle, he felt the pit of his stomach drop out. _That was a signal for the guards_ he realized, trying to put on more speed. As if sensing the change in the mood, thunder began to crack in the distance, and Haru realized that rain wasn't too far behind. This would only hinder his attempts to help, and as such he put everything he had into moving faster, almost becoming a blur. When he made it to the park, he saw several things at once. Mine was in the hand of an enormous dog and was screaming as it slowly squeezed her to death. He also saw that Sheele was quickly running to her aid, and in the distance was a familiar girl with orange hair and missing her arms. When Sheele cut the arm off the monster, he smiled in relief as he slowed his pace, figuring that they had won.

And that was a mistake, a _very_ big mistake.

He saw the gun barrel appear in the girl's mouth and heard the shot before he could do anything. It passed clean through Sheele's body, and he watched her fall in slow motion as he put on an additional burst of speed, all the while a voice in his head was screaming _no, no, no, no no no!_ When he saw the dog leaping towards her, mouth gaping and prepared to rip her apart, he reacted on instinct. Reaching down, he pulled one of his knives free and said, "zündung," as he threw it, praying to any deity watching that his aim held true.

Thankfully, they appeared to listen as it flew down the creature's throat. The explosion threw the animal backwards while throwing Sheele clear of it altogether. In the next instant, he said, "thýella," and cast out a wave of fire that quickly cut the two girls off from the dog and the guard. He could hear her scream in outrage and fire blindly through the flames, although based on what he saw of the gun he figured it had fairly poor aim. Quickly scooping Sheele up, he turned to Mine and said, "Grab her weapon, we're moving!" This seemed to shake her from her shock, and she quickly grabbed Sheele's Extase before hurrying after Haru as he fled the area. He made a bee-line for the trees and quickly found one suitable for hiding in. Moving quickly, he leaped up into the branches as he heard the guards approaching. Even with her injuries, Mine managed to follow him up as the guards swept through the area, trying to find them.

After they had passed by, Haru turned his attention to the woman in his arms and noticed that she had passed out. The bullet appeared to have passed through her lower shoulder and missed anything of obvious importance. His knowledge of physiology was limited, however, so he couldn't tell if it had struck anything internal or not. When the area appeared to be clear, he dropped down before laying her out to examine the wound closer. Mine dropped to her knees next to Sheele and tried to shake her awake, only to have Haru stop her. "You're not going to do her any good like that," he said, gripping her shoulders, "You want to help her? Then do what I ask. Now hold her down."

Nodding as she held the tears in, Mine placed her hands on Sheele's shoulders as Haru brought his hand over the wound. Focusing on it, he raised his hand's temperature to the point where he could barely stand it before bringing it down onto the wound. Never mind the fact that it was very near her breast, or that it was weeping blood, he was trying to save her life, damnit. The smell of cooking flesh quickly surrounded them, and Sheele convulsed out of reflex as he began to sear the wound closed. Mine almost tried to stop him when she realized it was hurting her, but when she saw what he was trying to do she grit her teeth and held her friend down. After a few moments, he rolled Sheele over before repeating the process on her back.

Satisfied that the wound was relatively closed for now, he picked her back up and started back into the city. When Mine moved to follow him, he briefly considered sending her back to the hideout. Then, he actually payed attention to her wounds and realized she wouldn't make it out of the city alive on her own. "We need to move fast," he told her, "I know a doctor nearby. He can help us." Mine just nodded as they rushed off. Thankfully, the guards seemed to have been convinced that the Night Raid members had long since gotten away. Although, Haru was trying to figure out why that particular girl had been fighting Mine and Sheele so aggressively. _She seemed so nice when we met_ he thought as they continued on, _to think she would be capable of this_.

Haru kept them to the backroads as much as possible, trying to avoid both the guards and any people that might get suspicious. He was carrying a bleeding, unconscious woman with another injured girl in tow, after all. While they succeeded in avoiding detection, this also meant that what was usually a quick trip to his friend took almost twice as long. By the time they had finally arrived, Sheele was starting to bleed again, and she was covered in a layer of sweat with her breathing becoming labored. It had also started to rain, and this just gave him another thing to worry about. _Please, please don't get sick_ he begged as they reached the building. After kicking the door several times as a way of knocking, they waited impatiently for an answer.

When the door opened, it was to the sight of an older man with grey hair and a half-smoked cigarette stuck in the corner of his mouth. Seeing the wounded woman in Haru's arms, he motioned them inside while saying, "Damnit, boy, you can never just come for a normal visit, can you?" "What can I say? I like danger," he replied as he laid Sheele down on one of the two examination tables, "Can you help her?" Ignoring the question, the old man leaned down and examined the wound. "Grab my bag from the counter," he said, stubbing his cigarette out on a nearby tray, "And grab some disinfectant, too, as well as two pairs of gloves." "Wait, I'm helping you?" Haru asked. "Only to hand me instruments. Don't get too excited," he replied as he walked over to a sink and washed his hands, "And you, little miss pink, will need to wait in the other room."

"I'm staying right here," Mine said, looking determined. Rather than argue, the old man just sighed as he turned around and took the gloves from Haru. He moved with practiced ease as he set out the tools he would need. He then proceeded to cut Sheele's dress off of her, causing Haru to blush as she was left in her underwear. This embarrassment was quickly dispelled when the doctor began his work. It was…disturbing, to watch him working to repair the damage from the bullet. Although, they were extremely lucky that it had passed clean through, as well as where it had hit her in the first place. "A few centimeters lower and it would have ruptured a lung," the doctor told them as he worked.

After almost two hours of work, he bandaged the wound while waving Haru off, telling him to go set the other girl's arm. Mine seemed to bristle at being waved off like that, but Haru just led her aside as he took her right arm in his. "This might hurt a bit," he told her, "On three, okay?" When she nodded, he began counting, "One, two…" He then suddenly jerked her arm, moving the bone back into place and getting a small yelp out of her. "What happened to three?" she asked through gritted teeth. Haru just smiled as he wrapped her arm before grabbing a sling for it. She didn't look too happy about being sidelined like this, but Haru wasn't in the mood to try to sugar-coat their situation.

When the old man walked over to them, he was wiping his hands clean and grabbing a fresh cigarette. "Before you ask," he said, lighting it, "Yes, she's going to be fine. It's just a flesh wound. Although she won't be able to do…what you people do, for a while until she heals." Before Mine could say something or bombard him with questions, Haru said, "Thank you, Doctor Garrick. Really, it means a lot." "I hope you realize I'm charging you for this, Haru," he replied, the ghost of a smile on his lips, "Oh, and that special order of yours is in." Gesturing to a box on his desk, Garrick walked over to a well-used leather chair and sat down as he enjoyed his smoke. Mine went over to check on Sheele, still concerned for her friend. Haru, meanwhile, walked over to the desk and opened the box.

Inside were ten cylinders that looked like epipens, although the drug inside wasn't for allergies. "It's the correct mixture?" Haru asked as he turned to Garrick. "Just as you requested," he replied as he blew a puff of smoke, "Took almost a month to find the right plants, not to mention mix the damned things. I expect you know what this will cost you?" Haru just nodded as he picked one of the pens up. If this worked properly, it would greatly extend his endurance in a fight. Considering how often Imperial Arms users were getting into fights lately, it was an advantage he sorely needed. "What are the side effects?" he asked.

"Well, since it was made specifically for you, I can't say for sure," Garrick replied, sounding irritated, "I can guess that it will knock you on your ass once it wears off. And God knows what would happen if you took them in rapid succession." "Hopefully it won't come to that, Dock," Haru replied as he gathered the other pens into a small bag, "Is it all right if we stay here? Just until she can be moved, that is." "I don't have a guest room, but you're free to sleep here," Garrick replied as he got up, "Now, if you don't mind, I'm going to sleep." He left through the backdoor and took the stairs up to the second floor.

Alone now, Mine walked over to Haru. There was something she needed to make sure of. "How much does he know?" she asked, looking serious. "He knows I kill people," Haru began as he put the bag into one of his cloak's pockets, "He knows I work with people that do the same, and he knows we're not in the best standing with the Empire." "Isn't that a little risky?" "Honestly? Yes, it is. But that man saved my life, and I trust him," Haru told her, "Besides, most of his patients are people that have been wronged by the Empire, so I wouldn't worry on him turning on us."

Before Mine could argue the point, Haru took her good arm and led her to the other cot. "You sleep here tonight," he told her, "We'll leave in the morning if we're able." Deciding to change topics, Mine climbed onto the bed before turning to him with a smile. "I'm sure Akame is going to have a few words for you when we get back," she said, her smile growing broader as Haru flinched. "I don't know what you mean," he replied, turning away. "Oh, come on, Haru. How long are you going to dance around this?" she asked, finally fed up with him. "And what exactly am I dancing around?" he asked as he sat down in the chair. While not the best place to sleep, he wasn't about to lie on the floor.

"Have you really not noticed how different she acts around you?" Mine continued. Haru thought about that for a moment before shaking his head. This just caused Mine to release an explosive sigh before collapsing onto the bed. "You're hopeless," she concluded as she rolled over. Haru just smiled at this before settling into the chair. In truth, he had noticed that Akame seemed to act different around him. But that could just be due to the fact that they were becoming friends, something that Haru had had painfully few of earlier in life. It was nice to have people he could count on. He finally fell asleep after some time, although it was a fairly troubled rest.

When he woke up the next morning, it was to Garrick bursting into the room. "You three need to get out of here, now!" he said as he moved to close the window blinds. "What's happening?" Mine asked as she shot upright. This just caused her to wince as she strained her injured arm. "The guards in this area regularly shake down businesses for protection money," Garrick told them, "I completely forgot that that was today. If they find you, they'll turn you all in." Understanding the situation, Haru took his cloak off and covered Sheele in it before picking her up. "Thank you again, Doctor," he said as they made their way out the back door.

They managed to make it well away from the building before the guards arrived, and Haru prayed that Garrick would be able to deal with them. "Do they really do that, or was that old geezer just trying to get rid of us?" Mine asked as they made their way through the streets. "No, he wasn't lying," Haru told her, "It's part of the reason he values my business. Unlike most of the others he treats, I can afford to pay for what I ask. He can then use that money to help others, as well as pay off the guards." "Why don't you just kill them, then?" "Because more would be sent, and it would just continue," he replied, "As much as I hate to admit it, the only option is to leave it be."

After almost an hour, he led them to their hideout in the city. While it still wasn't safe to remain in the city after last night, Haru knew that Sheele was still not well enough to travel back to the headquarters. That, and she could definitely use some fresh clothes, since she was still in her underwear. After Mine had dressed her, Haru laid her down on one of the couches before sitting in the one across from her. After a few minutes, Sheele finally woke up and looked around the room in confusion. "My-my glasses…" she said as she started to move around, "Where are my…?" Before she could strain herself too much, Haru was next to her and pushing her back down. "Easy now," he said, "You're fine. They're right here."

When she finally had them on, she recognized the room and smiled. "What happened?" she asked, growing concerned when she saw Mine's bandages. "You were in a rough fight, remember?" Haru told her as he sat back down, "You got shot. But you're okay now. So is the half-pint, so just rest." He payed for that comment when Mine smacked the back of his head, but it was worth it to see Sheele laugh a little at them.

They spent the next few days in the hideout, which clearly frustrated Mine to almost no end. She wanted to get back out there, to find the girl that had done this and make her pay. However, this forced down-time gave them the time they needed to recover, and Sheele was able to sit upright by the second day. She also seemed a little uncomfortable in the shirt and pants she had been dressed in. Unfortunately, her other dresses were at the headquarters. While Haru could have left to get them, as well as tell the others they were safe, he wasn't about to leave two injured teammates alone.

On the third day, they got a pleasant surprise when Leone came down the stairs, humming to herself. When she saw the three of them, she stopped and gaped at them, completely surprised. "What's the matter, cat got your tongue?" Haru asked, smiling at her. She responded by crashing into him with a powerful bear hug. "You're safe!" she said, sounding relieved as she moved to crush Mine next, "When no one came back, we thought…" "Really, you thought I'd kick the can so easily?" Haru asked, smiling. Instead of crushing Sheele in a hug, Leone settled for simply patting her head. She seemed so happy, and for some reason it felt…off to him.

"Okay, what happened?" he asked, "You're never this doting." Leone just got a depressed look when he asked, and this just caused them all to switch from happy to fearful in a second. "Leone, what happened?" Mine asked, "What is it?" Sitting down and taking a deep breath, she explained what had happened while they were gone. They learned that General Esdeath was now in the capitol, and had been framing Night Raid while she killed off officials opposed to the Minister. Apparently, Tatsumi and Bulat had fought against the Three Beasts of Esdeath's army while trying to keep one of these officials alive. They had beaten them, but Bulat had died during the battle.

Lost for words, Haru just put his head in his hands as he struggled to get his emotions under control. While he may not have shared Bulat's romantic tastes, he had been a good friend and teammate. Hell, he had been the one to get Haru into shape so he could use his Imperial Arms as well as he could. And now he was dead. _I can only imagine how Tatsumi is taking this_ he thought. As if on que, the door opened again and Tatsumi and Lubbock came into the room. It was an almost exact repeat of Leone's reaction, minus the bear hugs. After a lot of relieved laughter, Haru decided to speak up.

"We heard about Bulat," he said, wincing slightly at how their mood turned gloomy, "So, what now?" "The Boss has gone off to the Revolution's HQ to turn in the Imperial Arms we've gathered," Lubbock replied, forcing a smile, "She also went to see if she could recruit new members. She left Akame in charge." "And boy, is she mad at you, Haru," Leone said, smiling and wrapping an arm around him, "Don't you know it's rude to make a lady a promise and then break it?" "What promise?" he asked before remembering. Smacking himself, Haru sank into one of the chairs while the others just grinned at him.

"So, what kind of person is Esdeath?" Tatsumi asked, changing the subject. While Lubbock and Leone answered him, Haru tried to get control of his raging mind. _Damnit, I did promise her I'd come back quickly, didn't I? Yeah, Akame's going to be pretty pissed_. "Well, if you really want to see her, she's hosting a martial arts tournament today," Lubbock said, pulling a flyer out of his pocket and handing it to Tatsumi, "There's even a cash prize for the winner, so I'm sure you can help your village, too."

"I'll go," Haru said suddenly, standing up. "Wait, what?" Leone asked, "Are you crazy?" "Probably; I've been stuck here with the half-pint for three days, after all," he replied, smiling at the glare she shot him, "Besides, I've sat still for too damned long. I need something to do." When Tatsumi seemed about to protest, Haru said, "You can have the prize money. I'm not really interested in it, anyway. I just need to go and _do_ something." They seemed to understand his frustration and agreed, although Leone still didn't seem too pleased with the idea.

They were forced to leave Mine and Sheele behind, since both of their faces were now on the wanted posters. It was a simple walk to the stadium where the fights were being held, although it was another matter to convince them that Haru could actually compete. Several ridiculous tests later, he was sitting in one of the waiting rooms with several other fighters as he watched the battles. Up on the opposite side of the stadium, he saw an elaborate, covered seat that he assumed was occupied by Esdeath herself. Haru had never seen any pictures of the woman, and couldn't really see her all that clearly from this distance either. _Hopefully she's not like some of the other women I've met with this job_ he thought as he sat down on one of the benches.

It took a real effort to ignore the looks he was getting from the others. They all seemed very skeptical that a blind man would take part in a fight like this, and he had to resist the urge to smile as he saw several looks of pity. Thankfully, he didn't have to endure them long as they were all being called out at a rather quick pace. It became clear after watching three of the fights that this wasn't a conventional tournament. A pair would fight until one was left standing, leave, and then the next would start. There wasn't any kind of bracket system in place, and the winners never appeared again. _So it's not just a series of fights_ he thought as he watched them more closely, _they're looking for someone. Oh, crap, did I just walk into a trap?_

Haru shook his head to try and clear it, but once that thought crossed his mind it began to eat away at him. When his turn finally came around, he was rather nervous that he had just screwed up on a major scale. As he got up and left, he noticed that he was the only one left. _So I'm in the last fight_ he realized as he walked out to the arena. His opponent was a very large, very muscular man. Well, if you could call him a man; personally, Haru thought of him more as a Minotaur. He had a bull's head and everything, so it only made sense. The referee introduced him as Kalbi the Butcher, and Haru had to stifle a laugh at the irony in that. His own cover wasn't much better, since he was introduced as Haru the Mercenary.

He quickly glanced around the stands, trying to locate the others, knowing they would be watching him. His focus was brought back to the matter at hand when Kalbi spoke. "They honestly expect me to fight someone who's blind?" he asked, sounding offended, "Well, that just means that the prize is as good as mine." "I wouldn't be too sure, big guy," Haru said as he took his stance, "I've fought and killed things bigger, and stronger, than you." Judging from what he saw, this guy wouldn't take too much to beat. Hell, he probably wouldn't even need his Imperial Arms to finish him. "We'll see about that," he replied, getting ready, "I may have been excommunicated, but I'm still a ninth-level master of Koukenji." Haru just smirked in response, which seemed to tick the guy off.

When the match started, he charged Haru and started sending as many punches his way as he could. While Kalbi's speed was impressive for his size, Haru was able to dodge and deflect all of the blows with almost no effort. This seemed to piss him off further, and he reacted by trying to crush Haru. Side-stepping the blow, Haru briefly admired the crater the guy had caused before he was forced to dodge another punch. "What's the matter, little man?" Kalbi asked, "Too scared to fight back?" "Naw, I just wanted to warm up a bit first," Haru replied, smiling, "But, if you insist I take this seriously, then…" Leaping up, Haru used one of his punches as a spring-board to bring himself level with Kalbi's head.

He continued to smile at him as he delivered a round-house kick to his temple, sending the bigger man stumbling back. Before he could regain his balance, Haru was in front of him again. He delivered three rapid punches to his stomach, knocking the wind from him. This didn't have the effect he had intended as Kalbi tried to grab Haru. Ducking under the swipe, he braced himself with his hands and sent a double-kick up, connecting with Kalbi's jaw and knocking him down. As he got back up, he breathed a sigh of relief. While the guy wasn't as dangerous as some of his previous opponents, he still would have been screwed if Kalbi had gotten his hands on him. Unfortunately, Kalbi didn't seem satisfied to just stay down.

As he picked himself back up, Haru took a step forward and said, "You really should stay down." "You think you can beat me that easily?" he asked as he moved to get back up. Deciding to prove his point, Haru whispered, "thýella," and summoned a small circle of fire around him. "Really, you don't want to push it," he said again. Kalbi seemed to take the hint and raised his hands. Snuffing the flames out quickly, Haru turned to a cheering crowd as the referee declared him the victor, although he seemed genuinely surprised with Haru's little display. Waving at the crown, he smiled as he took in their applause. It was nice to be appreciated for his talents by the general people for once.

When he noticed people quieting down, he looked around and saw that Esdeath was walking down towards the arena. _So that's what she looks like_ he thought, trying not to blush. She was a very beautiful woman, to say the least. Her most striking feature would have to be her light-blue hair, although Haru could also sense an aura of power around the woman. "Your name is Haru, correct?" she asked, "It's a nice name." "Thank you," he replied, unsure of what to do. "As promised, I have your reward," she said, reaching into her shirt for something. _Well, this was an easy job_ Haru thought, smiling again.

The collar was around his neck and locked before he knew what was going on. "Wh-what is this?" he asked, looking down. "From now on, you belong to me," she said, a slight blush dusting her cheeks, "It's too distracting out here. Let's return to the palace." Before he could argue, she pulled him along with the chain attached to the collar. While he would have liked to resist, it was clear she wasn't about to slow down. Deciding that complying was better than choking, Haru followed her as she left while two thoughts raged in his mind. _What the hell did I just get myself into_ followed closely by, _if Akame wasn't pissed before, she sure as hell will be now_.


	8. Chapter 8

Haru had fucked up. He had _seriously_ fucked up.

He was tied up in a chair in one of the main halls inside the palace grounds. On top of that, he was sitting before the Jaegers, a group created for the purpose of putting down the criminals in and around the capital. All six members of this group also possessed Imperial Arms, making them all the more dangerous. On top of _that_ , Haru had Esdeath herself standing next to him. Even if he was able to overpower them all, there was still a small army of elite guards between him and the rest of the city. So Haru found himself circling back to his original thought; he had really fucked up.

He had already been introduced to the members of the team before him; Bols, Seryu, Run, Wave, Kurome and Dr. Stylish. A few of those names he recognized, and one of them in particular he hoped wouldn't recognize him from a few nights ago. He had never known her name, but he knew Seryu was the one that had shot Sheele, except she had metal arms now in the place of her old ones. Although, judging from what he had seen that night, if she had recognized him then she would have tried to kill him on the spot.

"This is Haru," Esdeath told them after introducing them, "Not only will he be a reserve member of the Jaegers, but he is also my lover." _Wait, what?!_ Haru thought, looking up at her. "I expect you all to treat him with respect," she continued, oblivious to his reaction. "Not to speak out of turn," Run said, "But why is a blind man going to be our reserve fighter?" "Probably because I can see just fine," Haru replied, unable to keep quiet, "Now, could someone please untie me?" "Actually, I'd like to know how you summoned fire the way you did today," Wave said, crossing his arms. He looked highly skeptical about him, and so did the weird doctor.

"What can I say? Fire just likes me," Haru replied, smiling. "Well, if you can see, then why not take the blindfold off?" Seryu suggested, walking up to him. "That's not a bad idea," Esdeath said, "I would like to see my lover's eyes." Before Seryu could reach out and remove the blindfold, Haru placed his hand on the chair he was sitting in and whispered, "zündung."

It burst into flame in less than a second, sending everyone except Esdeath scrambling back. In fact, Kurome and Seryu looked ready to fight, assuming this was his attempt to force an escape. Instead, Haru stood up as the chair disintegrated and let the chains fall free before stepping from the embers and stretching. "That's better," he said, popping his neck, "I spent the last few nights on a sofa, so I hope you don't mind me stretching a little. Oh, and next time don't tie fire-wielders up to _wooden_ chairs." This last part was targeted at Esdeath, and rather than look annoyed that he had broken free she looked pleased that he had taken the initiative.

"As for my blindfold," he continued, turning to the others, "It's because the scars I carry from my Imperial Arms can be…disturbing to people. I prefer not to be judged by them." "No one here is about to judge you over something so trivial," Esdeath replied, moving up next to him, "Now, then…" Before he could stop her, she had reached up and pulled on the knot on the back. Grabbing the fabric over his face with her other hand, Esdeath removed the blindfold in one smooth motion, leaving Haru too stunned to react.

While no one gasped, he could practically taste the unease in the room. Looking down, he tried to let his hair fall in front of his face as he took a step back and looked away. "Now you know why I don't like walking around normally," he said, trying not to sound depressed. Before he could do anything else, Esdeath cupped his chin in one hand and brought his eyes up to hers. She looked like she was studying him rather than judging, but he was sure that wasn't too far off. However, she took him by surprise yet again. Smiling and blushing slightly, she leaned in and kissed him. "I don't see a problem with your eyes, Haru," she said as she pulled back, "In fact, I quite like them."

He…didn't know how to respond to that. Hearing movement to the side, he turned and saw that the others had recovered and were looking at him closer now. "Well, that's not what I expected," Wave said, smiling sheepishly, "Sorry, man. If I had known I probably would have tried to stop her." "I think they look very striking, actually," Run commented, smiling, "I haven't known you very long, but I think they suit you." "You sure this doesn't mean he's been touched by evil?" Seryu asked, walking up to him and scrutinizing every detail. Her dog, Coro, was sniffing around him intently. _Please, don't try to eat me_ Haru thought as he watched Coro move around him. "Well, Coro seems to like you," she said, smiling, "So I think I'll give you a chance, too."

"Don't worry, Haru. It's nothing to be ashamed of," Bols told him as he walked up, looking a bit nervous. Clearly, normal interactions weren't his strong suit. Kurome, meanwhile, was munching on one of her cookies as she looked at him curiously. The fact that none of them were in any way rejecting him was…new. Taking a step back, he said, "Sorry, I need a moment." Taking a deep breath, he began massaging his temples as he reeled. _This is not right on_ so _many levels_ he thought, _I'm being accepted, and by people that should be my enemies_.

He was caught off-guard when Seryu walked up to him and placed a hand on his shoulder. "Hey, you alright, Haru?" she asked, sounding concerned. When he looked at her, she did look genuinely worried about him. In fact, all of them did. Esdeath looked like she wanted to say or do something, but didn't know what. "Y-yeah, I think," he said, returning the smile, "It's just…weird. The last time a large group of people saw me for what I am, I ended up having to outrun a mob." "Where was this?" Esdeath asked, her voice cold.

"Nowhere I remember," he replied, "To them, I was just a Danger Beast in a human's skin. But they had been ravaged by them for a long time I can't really say I blame them for being jumpy." "So, is that your Imperial Arms?" Seryu asked, trying to change the subject. "Yeah. It's full name is Demon God Manifestation; Demon's Sight," Haru told them, "It's one of the Demon series; eyes harvested from the last hatchling of a very rare type of dragon." "Then it's not much different from mine," Esdeath said, sounding pleased and touching the tattoo on her chest, "Mine is the Demon's Extract."

"Wait, you said the Demon series?" Wave asked, "How many are there?" "Three, last I heard," Haru replied, "Sight gives the user the ability to summon and manipulate fire. Extract does the same with ice. And the Demon's Core allows for control over another element, but I'm not sure which one." "Then I guess it's a good thing you're on our side," Wave said, scratching the back of his head, "Sound's like these three are made to equal each other." "In theory, yes. But, I doubt I'm anywhere near the same level as Esdeath," Haru said. "Don't worry, Haru. I plan to change that," she replied, smiling, "For now, I want you all to rest. We have our first job as a team tonight. We will be clearing out a bandit stronghold nearby."

She then pulled Bols over to one side, hoping he could give her some tips on how to make Haru fall for her as she had for him. This left Haru to try and get to know his new team. _Not my new team_ he corrected himself, _just people that I'm around for now_. Dr. Stylish still seemed suspicious of Haru, and he excused himself before leaving. Kurome appeared to be enjoying her cookies at the table, while Seryu played with Coro for a bit.

"When I heard that the General was putting together a team of Imperial Arms users," Haru said, walking up to Run and Wave, "This isn't what I pictured." "I know what you mean," Wave replied, "I still can't get over why Bols wears a mask all the time." "Or the way Stylish talks to you," Run added, smiling as Wave flinched. "I don't need to be reminded of that, Run!" he said, trying to look angry. _Wow, this feels…familiar_ Haru thought as he looked between them. Suddenly feeling tired, he walked over to the table and took a seat across from Kurome before crossing his arms in front of him and laying his head down.

"You're going to get a knot if you sleep there," Kurome said as she bit into another cookie. Looking up at her, he was struck with a strange sense of déjà vu. "You look familiar," Haru mumbled. "What was that?" she asked, looking at him. "Nothing, I'm just tired," he replied. Before he could try and find someplace to nap, Esdeath announced that they would be moving out. Taking his hand, she ensured that he was next to her the entire time. Although, Haru insisted that he put his blindfold back on. It was all well and good that the Jaegers accepted him for what he was, but he wasn't about to take the chance that others would as well.

As it turned out, Haru was not on the team heading into the hideout, which meant that Haru's plan to use the attack as a means of escape was shot to hell. Instead, he got stuck on a hilltop with Esdeath as they watched her team tear the base apart. Despite never working together previously, they displayed impressive coordination as they wiped the place out. Seryu especially seemed excited about being able to kill so many 'evil' people at once, and she used a series of weapons that were stored inside Coro to rip through anyone in her way. Bols, meanwhile, used his own Imperial Arms to set the entire place on fire, incinerating anyone that got caught in the flames. Run's was probably the most interesting out of the group. His gave him angel wings, and he was able to use the feathers like guided bullets. Wave and Kurome seemed to make a natural team, with him watching her back as she cut through bandits with the same skill Akame showed.

 _Yeah, they're definitely sisters_ he thought, remembering the one time he had heard her name. Akame may have been in a trance at the time, and she only said it at a whisper, but now that Haru saw her in action there was no doubt in his mind. His thoughts, however, were brought back to his current position when Esdeath's hand found his own. Her touch was surprisingly cool, which was most likely an after effect of her Imperial Arms. Haru had learned from past interactions that his own weapon had given him a higher body temperature than others, a small price to pay for mastery of fire.

"Well, your team seems to be doing incredibly well for their first battle," Haru commented, feeling that something had to be said. "Of course they are," she replied, "If they weren't skilled, then I wouldn't have chosen them." "And is that why you chose me?" he asked. Haru had been spending the better part of the day trying to figure the woman out. "I don't think I really had a choice," she said, looking at him and blushing, "When I saw you fight, I just felt it. And when you summoned the fire around you, I knew; you were the one for me."

Not knowing how to respond to that, Haru returned his attention back to the battle. If he was to get any use out of this…situation, then he needed to bring back as much information about their Imperial Arms as he could. It was at that point that something occurred to him. _I could make a life with these people_ he realized as he glanced at Esdeath's hand.

He didn't have any particular reason to hate any of these people, except maybe Seryu. Even then, the memory of their first meeting lingered with him. He had a really hard time believing that such a sweet girl could become a monster at the drop of a hat, at least not without good reason. The rest of them may have their quirks, but it wasn't anything he couldn't deal with. On top of that, there was Esdeath; a beautiful woman that clearly had strong feelings for him.

 _I could really make this my home now. With what I know about the Revolution, I could stop this civil war before it started and save a lot of lives. Not only that, I could finally have a place that accepted me without hesitation._ As these thoughts raged through his mind Haru felt himself beginning to be swayed by their logic. For a long time he had only ever been viewed as a Danger Beast, a monster to be scorned and destroyed. Even among the Revolutionary Army, most of the people that truly knew him didn't want anything to do with him. And as for Night Raid? Well, he hadn't been completely truthful with them, except for Akame. Even if she accepted him, he was fairly sure the others wouldn't be so welcoming if they discovered the truth.

 _And how can you be so sure, when you've never been willing to take that chance_ a voice in the back of his mind asked. And it wasn't wrong, even if he had wanted it to be. Clenching his other hand to the point where his nails dug into his palm, Haru tried to keep this internal struggle from showing. The last thing he needed was Esdeath trying to make this pain go away. And it was painful; it felt like he was being torn in two. _Which side do I choose?_

When the attack was finally over, and the bandits were all dead, they returned to the capital to rest for the night. And Haru, being the lucky guy that he is, got to share a room with Esdeath. As she showered in the next room, Haru was trying to find anything to occupy his mind except the obvious; that there was an incredibly beautiful woman in the next room, dripping wet, and probably willing to do anything to please him. Taking a deep breath to steady himself, he briefly considered putting his blindfold back on, since he had been forced to remove it once again. _Not worth the effort_ he concluded as he stuffed it back into his pocket. She would only remove it again.

He was pulled from these thoughts when he heard the water shut off, and he tried not to get too nervous. This wasn't exactly his first time; he still remembered that girl in the Revolutionary army he had had a fling with before joining Night Raid. It was one of the few partings that had been on good terms; they had both agreed that it was best to separate. She was the honorable one while Haru was more than willing to do the dirty work. They still remained on friendly terms, trading letters every now and then when their work permitted it.

When he heard the door to the bathroom open, Haru tried to keep his heartbeat under control. When Esdeath walked into his view, however, his attempts met failure. She was wearing nothing but a button-up shirt, with about half the buttons undone. This served to reveal more of her cleavage than her uniform ever did. This combined with the fact that the shirt ended just after her hips was very tempting. He could feel his inner male screaming at him to take her, and for a brief second he considered it.

"Ah, that was very refreshing!" she said, sitting down next to him, "Are you alright? You look a little flustered." "I'm f-fine," Haru managed, looking away and blushing. The way she was leaning was not only brushing her cleavage against his arm, it was also dangerously close to causing her shirt to open more. "I can understand if you're nervous," she said, smiling, "To be honest, I am, too. This is my first time doing anything like this. But I'm sure we can figure it out so long as we know what we want." "And what would that be?" Haru asked, feeling that he already knew the answer.

And sure enough, she smiled before leaning in and kissing him again. This time, she put most of her weight into it and caused Haru to land on his back on the bed. Having Esdeath lying on top of him, still damp from her shower, was starting to wear away the last of his self-control. When she came up for air and sat back, she looked a little redder than earlier. She was also starting to breathe harder, and Haru could tell that she was starting to get caught-up in the moment. He was silently thankful that she was straddling his knees, however, and not a place further up. While he could tell by touch that she was wearing panties, if she sat on _that_ , his self-control would probably vanish in an instant.

"Before we continue, can I ask you something?" he said, hoping to change the subject as he sat up. When she nodded, he prepared himself for where this conversation was going to lead. "What would you say if I told you that I didn't want to fight for the Empire?" he asked, bracing himself for her reply. "That's easy; you're not fighting for the Empire, you're fighting for me," she said, smiling, "If this is because you're afraid of losing something, then don't worry. All you have to do is stay with me, and I won't ever let anything hurt you."

"That's not what I mean," he said, "I know I'm a mercenary. I fight for whoever pays the most. But, I do have one wish that I desperately want granted." "What is it?" Esdeath asked, inching closer, "Whatever it is, I promise that I will grant it." Taking a deep breath, he said, "I want to protect the people of this country. I want to make sure that they never have to fear the Danger Beasts again. Is that something you can do?"

"Why?" she asked, taking him by surprise, "Why would you fight to defend people that can't defend themselves?" "Are you kidding? That's what people do; we help each other," Haru replied, "You understand that, right?" "I don't," she said simply, growing stern, "I cannot understand how the weak feel. The universal law is survival of the fittest. Those who die are weak and deserve to die."

He didn't know what to say to that. This was clearly a closely held belief for her, judging from the look on her face. In fact, it would explain a lot about her ruthlessness in battle. However, Haru felt like he could detect something else beneath this conviction. There was something about her eyes that told him there was some small lingering doubt in her mind. He couldn't tell what it was she doubted, but it was there. This only served to make Haru's decision more difficult. He could tell that Esdeath wasn't an evil person, and there was a part of him that desperately wanted to help her.

"But enough about such bothersome things," she said, smiling as she leaned in to kiss him again, "Where were we?" And this was the moment where he realized he had to choose; right here, right now. If he accepted her, then he was accepting a place on her team. He would be a Jaeger and would have to fight against his former friends in Night Raid. But, he would receive absolute protection from Esdeath for the rest of his life. He could live without fearing that someone would slit his throat at night. More importantly, he could have a _home_ again.

 _And what of the home you made with Night Raid, Haru_ that voice asked again, _what of Akame?_

Taking another deep breath, Haru reached up and placed his hands on her shoulders, stopping her a few inches away from his face. "I appreciate you feeling so strongly for me," he said, smiling sadly, "But maybe we shouldn't take things too quickly?" "Of course, I can be patient," she replied, smiling. "Then I guess it's time to get some sleep," he said, moving to get up, "I'll take the co-" Grabbing his arm, Esdeath stopped him. "You can sleep in the bed," she said, her look pleading him not to go, "I won't try anything while you sleep, I promise." "I'll hold you to that, General," Haru said, smiling as he lay back down.

As it turned out, Esdeath's promise only extended to her doing something _consciously_. When Haru woke up the next morning, it was to the feeling of being hugged from behind. After a few more moments, his senses were clear enough to recognize it as Esdeath using him as a body pillow. There was a part of him that found it comforting; it reminded him of the times he had shared a bed with his sister when they were younger. She would always sleep like this when her little brothers were with her, and it was probably a result of her always being the one to defend them against older kids.

Shaking his head to clear the memories away, he slowly got up while avoiding waking Esdeath up. She was still in the same clothes, and Haru felt that primal urge rising up again. He resisted it as he grabbed his cloak and made his way out of the room. As soon as he was in the main hall, he let out a loud yawn as he scratched his head. "Wow, you look like you slept well," Wave commented, handing him a cup of coffee. "For both our sakes, I'm not going to comment on that," Haru replied, accepting the cup and taking a big drink from it. Looking around, he noticed that Kurome was at her spot at the table and was once again munching on her cookies.

"I don't mean to be rude, but you look familiar," Haru said, walking over, "Are you related to that one girl on the wanted posters, by chance?" "You know, I was thinking the same thing," Wave said as he joined them. "You mean Akame?" Kurome asked, smiling, "She is my older sister and was an honored member of society. But then she betrayed the capital and joined a band of criminals and murderers. I really want to see her again, so that I can kill her with my own hands."

That last bit took Haru by surprise, and it took him a moment to fully process that. "You want to kill your own sister?" he asked, hoping he had heard her wrong. She just nodded while looking like it was the most natural thing to say. Setting his cup down so he wouldn't waste the coffee, since he figured he would need it for latter, he struggled to keep his own emotions in check. "Do you even understand what you're saying?" he asked, "She's your _sister_ , and you want to kill her? What the hell is wrong with you?"

"I don't see why this bothers you so much," she said, turning away, "And it's none of your business, anyway." "The hell it isn't!" he said, walking around the table, "I've lost family members, and I can tell you right now that killing them yourself isn't going to make you feel any better about their lose." "Like I said, it's none of your business," she said, her look turning stern, "She's a criminal and a traitor. This is what I must do."

He was about to push the issue further when Wave put a hand on his shoulder. Looking at him, he saw the sadness in his eyes as he shook his head. Taking a deep breath to calm himself, Haru downed the rest of his coffee before walking over to one of the windows. Wave joined him not too long after that and looked out at the city with him. "You okay, Haru?" he asked after a time. "I'm fine," Haru replied with a sigh, "It's just… Killing their own family member? That's not something _anyone_ should be okay with."

"You said you lost family before?" Wave asked, feeling guilty for prying, but needing to know all the same. Nodding, Haru told him what had happened to his home. _Strange, it's like I'm talking with Tatsumi_ Haru realized as they continued to talk. They were interrupted when Esdeath walked into the room. "You three, get ready," she said as she put her hat on, "We're going hunting around Mt. Fake today in pairs. Haru, you'll be with Wave while Kurome will come with me. After dusk, we'll switch and Haru will be with me."

While he was smiling and agreeing outwardly, Haru was already trying to figure out a way he could use this to escape. _This is likely to be my best and only chance_ he thought as they left, _if I don't take it now, I may never want to again_. As much as he liked these people, he had to remember that he had made a commitment to the Revolution. More than that, he missed his old friends, his old _family_ , back at the hideout. And he might also be missing Akame, if he was being honest with himself. _Damnit_ , _the pipsqueak may have had a point_.


	9. Chapter 9

The trip to Mt. Fake was, thankfully, uneventful. After they split off into groups, Haru kept an eye open for Danger Beasts, as well as any opportunity to escape. He also took the opportunity to put his blindfold back on while he tried to stay focused, despite his raging thoughts. There was still that part of him that kept saying, "You can make a home here." And as much as he wished it would shut up, it wouldn't. It definitely didn't help that Wave was such a nice guy.

"So, since we're alone now, what happened last night?" he asked as they walked. They were patrolling one of the many paths through the foothills near the mountain, and so far they had yet to find any Danger Beasts. "Let's just say that we weren't moving at the same pace and leave it at that," Haru replied as he scanned the valley below. "What's that supposed to mean?" Wave asked, sounding annoyed. Haru smiled as he imagined the look he was giving him. "If I told you, Wave, you'd never be able to act innocent again," Haru told him before continuing on.

"Well, if you ever need someone to talk to…" he said, trying to change subjects. Turning around, Haru said, "Thanks, I appreciate the off- Move!" In one fluid motion, Haru brought his sword out and cut clean through several roots that were coming at Wave from behind. Hearing a roar, they backed up as a _tree_ of all things sprung from the ground and attacked them. In fact, it was more of a whole group of them, surrounding the two in seconds.

"Well, I can't say I've seen this before," Haru said as he backed into Wave, who just nodded as he brought his own sword out. "What do we even call this?" he asked, sounding a bit nervous, "A herd? A forest?" "We call it practice," Haru answered as he focused on his sword. Springing forward, he cried out, "zündung!" as he cut through several of them at once. The flames covering his sword set them ablaze on contact, quickly turning the air sour with smoke. Determined not to be outdone by him, Wave turned to his own opponents and attacked them with vigor, slashing through several in rapid succession without breaking a sweat. Haru briefly admired this skill before turning his attention back to the fight.

While they were both able to hold their own against these creatures, they quickly got separated as more swarmed them. This was something Haru allowed on purpose. Looking to make sure that a fair number now separated him from Wave, he focused on the area around himself and said, "Thýella." Flames lept to life around him and quickly began feeding off the dead Danger Beasts as well as the live ones. He spent all of three seconds feeding his own energy into the flames to make sure they grew enough before releasing control. With a wall of smoke and fire to cover his movements, he cut through the last of the beasts before making a break for the nearby woods. _Sorry, Wave, but I can't stick around_ Haru thought with regret as he ran.

After he had felt like he had gotten a good distance away, he slowed down to a walk while he tried to get his bearings. He had just been concerned with getting as far from the mountain as he could, but now he would need to find his way back. _Would probably be better to wait for nightfall before traveling_ he thought as he looked around for a good place to stay. Before he could get too far with that, however, he heard someone slamming into the ground nearby really hard. Sticking to the underbrush, he moved to the edge of the tree line and watched as two armored men squared off. One of them was clearly Incursio, and since Bulat was dead then it could only be Tatsumi using it. _Way to go, kid_ he thought, smiling. Bulat had told him a long time ago how much of a strain that armor put on the user, so he was impressed that Tatsumi was able to use it.

The other he didn't know, but he could guess that it was Wave. He was sure to come after Haru instead of taking his chances telling Esdeath that he'd lost him. And since his was the only Imperial Arms Haru hadn't seen up close, it felt like a reasonable guess. Wave seemed about to attack Tatsumi again, and for a second Haru considered coming to his aid. But, at the last second Tatsumi turned and leaped clear. _He's not going to stand and fight? That's new._ Sticking to the trees, Haru followed them as best as he could while Wave pursued him. Delivering a massive flying kick, Wave sent Tatsumi into a nearby river before landing on one of the banks.

Watching the water, Haru prayed that Tatsumi wasn't about to drown. However, after a few seconds there was still no sigh of someone coming to the surface. "He must have ridden the current downstream," Wave reasoned out loud, turning and taking off, "But that won't work against a man of the sea!" After Wave had disappeared from sight, Haru watched a wet, blurry shape crawl from the water before collapsing onto the bank. It then turned into a cloud of smoke, and when it cleared away Tatsumi was lying there, clearly hurt. He was still conscious, however, and he was struggling to get up when another Danger Beast came out of the bushes near him.

This one was a very large cat, and it clearly wanted to have Tatsumi for lunch. Moving quickly, Haru pulled one of his knives from his pocket as he leaped across several of the stones in the river. Before it could even consider attacking, it was suddenly picked up off the ground and sliced into multiple pieces. Haru just caught the glint off several wires as Lubbock walked out of the bushes. "Jeeze, you're still too carele…" Lubbock began before noticing Haru standing on the bank. In fact, both Tatsumi and Lubbock were staring at him in mild shock. "Next time protect yourself better, newbie," Haru said as he walked over and helped Tatsumi to his feet, smiling at their stunned expressions.

"Wow, this was easier than I thought it would be," Lubbock said as he joined them, "I was sure we'd have to take two or three of those guys on before we could get you back." "Take my word for it; that is a _very_ bad idea right now," Haru told them, "But thanks for coming for me." "We never really left you alone," Tatsumi said, "We just kept our distance. We even took shifts." "And you wouldn't believe what it took to keep Mine and Akame from dropping from exhaustion," Lubbock said as they began walking, "They both blame themselves for you getting captured. Speaking of which; what the hell happened?"

Taking a moment to organize his thoughts, Haru proceeded to tell them what had happened since he had 'won' the tournament. To their credit, Tatsumi and Lubbock remained straight faced the entire time. But when Haru finished, it was Lubbock who broke out laughing first. "Hey, it's not funny!" Haru said indignantly. "I'm sorry, man. I'm just having a hard time understanding how you thought you were in danger," Lubbock said as he stopped to breathe. Tatsumi, meanwhile, was laughing softly as well, unable or unwilling to speak.

"The danger was that there is a very real part of me that found her offer tempting," Haru said, looking sad, "It's not something I would expect either of you to understand. But when you've spent a few years being scorned for what you've become, it's very hard not to accept an offer for complete protection." "And I'm sure it had nothing to do with how attractive she is," Lubbock replied before laughing again. He was trying to play off what Haru had just told them, but he could tell that Tatsumi wasn't going to just let it go.

"What do you mean, 'what you've become?'" he asked, looking serious. Sighing, Haru decided that he owed the kid a straight answer after the beating he took. "You know how a number of the Imperial Arms were crafted from parts of Danger Beasts?" he asked, "Mine is an _actual_ part of a Danger Beast. From what I can tell they weren't able to figure out a way to craft it into a weapon, so they preserved it to be implanted into a capable wielder." "Then that means…" "My Imperial Arms is _mine_. No one can take it from me, and it will die with me," Haru said before stopping, "And since I've told you, I might as well show you. Just try not to freak out."

Reaching up, he pulled his blindfold down around his neck before locking eyes with both Tatsumi and Lubbock. They looked absolutely stunned, with Tatsumi's jaw actually dropping. "That's…not what I was expecting," Lubbock said, recovering first. Walking up to him, Tatsumi examined his eyes closer. Haru just stood there, trying not to break eye contact or show them how much he was struggling over this. He really, desperately, didn't want to hear them reject him now. But he was also expecting it. Maybe not now, but once they got over their shock it would happen. It always did.

"So this is why you've never removed your blindfold," Tatsumi said after a while, "That's…" "Horrible?" Haru offered, figuring he knew where this was going. "That's so cool!" Tatsumi said, his eyes lighting up, "I've never seen something like this before. So, you're physically one with your element?" Haru just looked at him in shock. _Cool? Did he just say this is cool?_ "I, uh, guess that's true," he replied. "Well, crap. You should have just told us," Lubbock said, putting a hand on Haru's shoulder, "You really thought we would freak out over something so trivial?"

Looking between his two friends, Haru felt the same as when this happened with the Jaegers. Better, actually, since he had known these guys longer. "I…" he began before his voice failed him. Looking down and clearing his throat, Haru turned and continued down the path, saying, "Thanks, guys. Really." "Any time, matchstick," Lubbock replied, grinning when Haru flinched at the nickname. _That pipsqueak is going to pay for that_ he vowed as he put his blindfold back on. However, he was still smiling as they continued back towards the hideout.

When they finally made it back the sun was starting to set, casting the hideout partially in shadow. For some reason, Haru found returning to this place comforting. That comfort was lost when he walked through the door and was immediately crushed by Leone in a hug. "Welcome back, matchstick!" she said as he struggled to breathe. When he finally got free, it was only to have Sheele hug him next, although she wasn't trying to crack his ribs. "I'm so glad you're okay," she said, smiling. Even Mine looked pleased. "I was beginning to wonder if we were going to have to drag your lazy butt out of there," she said, smiling.

Before he could even think of slinking off to bed, since he was exhausted, Leone dragged him into the main room where they had set up a kind of welcome back party. And it just so happened to have a bunch of different types of liquor. _Probably Leone's idea_ he thought as he was made to sit down. It wasn't that bad, actually. They all enjoyed good food and drink, laughing and talking well into the night. Haru learned that Tatsumi had been training his butt off to be able to use Incursio like Bulat used to, and that even Lubbock had been pushing himself harder lately. He also learned that Sheele and Mine had been training together and had become 'incredibly powerful', as Mine put it.

The only damper, at least as far as Haru saw it, was that Akame seemed to be brooding over something. She remained quiet for most of the evening and only spoke when she was asked a direct question. It also seemed that she was glaring at Haru whenever she thought no one was looking. Finally, after he had a fairly pleasant buzz, he decided it was time to stop avoiding something he had been putting off for a while now.

"Okay, since I'm tired of waking up to kitty over there standing over me," he said, ducking as Leone tossed a lump of bread at him, "I guess it's time I actually showed you what I've been hiding." Steeling himself for mixed reactions, Haru removed his blindfold before sitting there expectantly. While Akame, Lubbock and Tatsumi seemed fine with it, since they had already seen it, everyone else was quiet for a few seconds.

"Well, I can't say I'm a fan of the color," Mine said finally, crossing her arms, "But I think they suit you, matchstick." "Thank you, half-pint," Haru replied, smiling as she glared at him. "I'm trying to give you a compliment, jerk!" Before he could respond, Leone sat down next to him and put an arm around his shoulders. "Really, this is what you've been so ashamed about?" she asked, smiling, "You didn't trust your big sis?" "It wasn't that…" Haru replied, "It's just… I've had a bad run where everyone would judge me based off it. When everyone you meet sees you as a monster, it starts to…rub off on you."

He didn't mean to kill the mood, not when they had all seemed so happy. But he needed to face this. Sighing, Leone reached up and smacked the back of Haru's head. "You can be too serious sometimes, you know?" she said, laughing when he glared at her, "After everything you've done, how in the hell are we going to view you as a monster?" "I…" "Oh, for crying out loud, just accept the compliment and move on!" Mine said, her cheeks a little red from the wine, "I think it's high time you stopped beating yourself up over something stupid." "Says the twerp that can barely handle a few cups of wine," Lubbock replied, snickering.

He received said wine in his hair when Mine upended the cup on him, causing him to freak out and everyone else to laugh. Even Akame smiled, although it was for different reasons. She was glad that Haru had finally started to face that he was indeed human. Although, this didn't quell any of the other emotions battling for dominance in her head and heart. Deciding she needed someplace quiet to try and sort this out, she quietly slipped from the room. While almost no one else noticed her leave, Haru did, and he felt sad to see her go.

Seeing the look on his face, Mine walked up behind his couch and whispered in his ear, "If you want to slip away for some alone time, I can cover you." Rather than waste time arguing with her over it, Haru just nodded before getting up. Before Leone, who was rather far gone by this point, could try to make him stay, Mine grabbed her from behind, saying, "Hey, why don't you show us that drinking game you've always been bragging about?"

This served as a wonderful distraction as Leone grabbed several cups and began setting it up, a goofy grin on her face the entire time. Meanwhile, Haru had slipped out into the halls before wondering where Akame would go. Playing on a hunch, he walked up a few flights of stairs and found himself at the balcony that he and Lubbock frequented. And sure enough, there she was, standing at the railing and silhouetted in the moonlight. She seemed to be staring off into the forest with her head resting on the rail, and for a moment Haru wondered if she was asleep.

Walking up next to her, he said, "Nice view isn't it?" This caused her to bolt upright and turn to him, surprised and with a slight blush. _I've never seen her blush, now that I think about it_ he realized as he smiled. "Something on your mind?" he asked, trying not to let silence rein. "It's nothing," she replied, turning and looking back out at the trees, "I just needed some fresh air."

"So, I heard that you and Mine blamed yourselves for my 'situation,'" he said as he looked out at the trees, too. "Mine thinks that if she hadn't been so careless and gotten hurt before, she could have kept you from being taken," Akame told him, looking down. "And what about you?" She didn't reply to that one, mainly because she didn't trust herself at that moment. She knew that if they'd tried to stop Esdeath it would have become a battle. And despite how good they all were, Akame still wasn't completely convinced that they could have won without serious casualties.

Seeing her look turning darker by the second, Haru turned and acted on instinct, putting one of his hands on hers. When she looked at him, he said, "There's nothing you could have done without risking your lives and blowing your cover. Let's just agree to be glad that I'm still okay, alright?" "But are you?" she asked. She had a pretty good idea of the kind of pain Haru had gone through recently, and after hearing him talk about what Esdeath had offered him to stay she wasn't so sure that he had come out of that 100% okay. "Really, I'm okay, Akame," he said, smiling and squeezing her hand a bit, "I can't say it wasn't tempting to stay with them. But this is my home now."

She smiled at that, albeit with a little sadness in it. "I'm glad you're back, Haru," she said, leaning her head on his chest. She had missed this more than she was willing to admit. Forget the blush on her cheeks at this moment; she enjoyed it when it was just the two of them. Smiling, Haru wrapped his free hand around her and pulled her in closer. Or, at least he tried to. Instead, she pulled back slightly and locked eyes with him. He felt something stirring at that, and he slowly leaned forward, feeling her breath on his cheeks. Akame, meanwhile, was doing the same, unable to deny her emotions much longer.

However, at the last second, just as their lips brushed each other, she turned away while looking sad. "I'm sorry, but I can't," she said, ashamed that it had gone so far, "We're assassins, Haru. We can't let something compromise our ability to fight." "I..," he said, shocked, "I understand, Akame." Releasing her, he took a step back, saying, "I'm sorry if I overstepped."

Watching him turn and leave was one of the hardest things she had ever done. This new feeling was screaming at her to call out to him, to make him come back, to do what she had wanted to do for a while now. But she was a professional, damnit, and she couldn't compromise herself now. On top of that, she had also drunk a bit more than she normally did and couldn't be sure if this was her real feelings or the alcohol. And so, instead of calling him back, she waited until he was gone before returning to her room to try and sleep this off.

Haru, meanwhile, returned to his room before flopping onto his bed, his mind a raging mess. That moment had been freaking perfect, and he had wanted to say what he had finally started to realize for himself. But, at the same time he could understand Akame's reasoning. They were both in a position where they could die tomorrow, easily. Neither of them wanted to create something that would just cause pain in the end. It was in following this line of thought that he realized something. She had almost, _almost_ , returned those same feelings. _So it's not one-sided_ he thought, stunned and yet happy at the same time.

Lost in these thoughts, he drifted off to sleep. A few hours later, however, he was awakened by a loud crash two floors down. For a moment, he thought it was just someone that had run into something and broken it. Several more in rapid succession, followed by the unmistakable sound of Pumpkin, served to bring him fully awake and out of his room, sword in hand. _We've been discovered? How?_ he thought as he rushed towards the sounds. Before he could even make it to the next floor, Haru found himself facing off with several men wearing porcelain masks and rather disturbing outfits.

"What the hell are you supposed to be?" he asked, bringing his sword up. "Enemy," the lead one said, taking a step forward, "Kill!" At this, all five of them charged. Haru briefly noticed that they had metal gloves with claws on the fingers before he lashed out. "Thýella!" he cried as he swung his sword, creating a wall of fire between him and them. Three of them cleared it before it was fully formed, but two were caught in it and ignited, screaming in agony. The remaining three were on him too fast, and Haru tried to jump clear before a purple blur rushed past him.

In two quick strikes, Sheele cut down the one right in front of Haru as well as the one to his left. Reversing his retreat into a charge, Haru ducked under the swipe at his head as he stabbed the third man through the chest. Much to his surprise, the guy was practically fine as he withdrew his sword, and Haru received a swipe to the arm in return for dropping his guard. Her gaze hardening, Sheele moved before Haru could and took the third man's head off in one clean swipe.

"Thanks for the help," he said as he checked the cut on his arm. It wasn't too deep, but it would hurt like hell for the next few days. "We should find the others," she said as she looked out the window, "There are more coming." "Then let's stop them at the source," Haru replied, smiling coldly. Nodding, Sheele followed him as he made his way down to the second floor before he found a suitably large window. Without breaking stride, he grabbed a chair and threw it through the window before following it out. Rather than trying to land squarely, he turned his landing into a roll and came up with a charged knife that he threw at the nearest target. Said target exploded in a cloud of blood, flames and smoke that took out the two other guys near him as well.

Sheele landed next to him and brought her scissors up, stopping another one of them cold before cutting him in half at the waste. Before they could take any more of them out, Incursio landed in the middle of a large group across from them. This caused every one of the enemies near him to turn and attack at once, and Haru quickly moved to try and help. However, Tatsumi took them all out in rapid succession before summoning Incursio's spear and cutting through several more of them. Between the three of them, they were able to take the remaining enemies fairly well, at least until a new enemy showed up. This guy was bigger, thicker, and had metal arms. Figuring the kid could take him alone; Haru turned his attention to the remaining small fry.

Focusing on maintaining his foot, since he had used a fair amount of fire already, Haru was so focused on his own fight that he didn't realize that the larger man was giving Tatsumi trouble until he heard Mine's Pumpkin going off behind him. He turned just in time to see the guy getting vaporized. He also saw a rather creepy guy coming up behind her with a knife. Before he could move, the guy received a flying kick to the side from Leone, who looked really pissed off. He was proven right when she proceeded to beat the ever living shit out of the guy, and Haru could only imagine what he had done.

It was at that point that Lubbock and Akame joined them, looking a little tired but still in one piece. "The hideout is clear," Lubbock reported as he checked one of his gloves, "Although there are still a lot of them setting the wires off." "How many is a lot?" Haru asked. Before Lubbock could answer, a large number of the masked men dashed out of the trees and quickly surrounded them. "That many," Lubbock said, bringing his hands up, "But this is the last of them. The wires aren't being triggered anywhere else." "Then I think it's time we took care of these guys," Haru said as he started focusing on his sword.

His concentration was broken when he started to feel heavy and stiff. _What is this_ he wondered as he looked around and realized he wasn't the only one feeling it. Lubbock was already out cold, and virtually everyone else was on the ground and struggling to stay upright. Except for Tatsumi, who, judging from his body language, was confused about what was happening. _Damnit, they're using poison_ Haru realized as he dropped to one knee. Reaching into the pouch just above his sheath, he pulled one of those shots out before popping the cap off. "Tatsumi, we have a problem," he said as he stuck himself in the leg and hit the button.

The drug was much more potent than he thought it was going to be, and he felt like fire was coursing through his veins as he stood back up. But despite this advantage, he knew that the odds of him and Tatsumi being able to defend their friends from what were easily 20 enemies were extremely remote. _Damnit, now what_ he wondered as he looked around, trying to find something he could use. "What the heck is that?" Tatsumi asked, drawing Haru's attention to the sky. Seeing a giant flying Manta, he felt his spirits soar. Only one group used them as mounts, and only one person would have this kind of timing.

"About time you decided to show up, Boss!" Haru shouted.


	10. Chapter 10

As if they had heard Haru, someone dropped from the Manta as it soared over the Night Raid assassins. When it landed, he saw that it was a man in a white robe and horns holding a large pole weapon. He didn't know what exactly to call it. It had a large stone looking cylinder on the end and looked like it would be rather heavy. However, the new guy didn't seem burdened by it since he was wielding it with one arm. He also didn't seem phased when every remaining enemy charged him at once. At some unseen command, several blades deployed from the head of the staff before beginning to spin, turning it into a big buzz saw. The new guy then used it, along with some impressive strength, to turn the remaining enemies into a bloody mess with a few scattered body parts here and there.

He and Tatsumi were speechless. "Wow," was all Mine managed as she struggled to get back up. Before they could celebrate their apparent victory, the dead bodies began to glow. Haru had all of two seconds to wonder what that was when they suddenly exploded, taking the new guy with them. "What the hell?!" he said, shielding his face from the blast wave. Watching the smoke, he could just make out a figure still standing. "Did he just survive that?" Leone asked as she used Haru as a prop to get back onto her feet.

However, when the smoke cleared they saw that while it was still the same guy, he was now missing one arm and had a large hole through his chest. "How is he still standing?" Tatsumi asked. Hearing his voice, the new guy stood up straighter and looked straight at them, clearly still alive. The hole in his chest then began to close, and a weird mound of flesh sprouted from his stump of an arm before reforming into a new one, complete with a sleeve.

"He's an organism-based Imperial Arms," Haru said in awe as the guy approached them. "He's a what?" Tatsumi asked. Before Haru could explain, the Imperial Arms moved through their group and crouched down in front of Mine. They were all expecting him to try something, still hyped up on adrenaline from the battle. However, he just reached out and smoothed her hair out before nodding and standing back up. "Uh, thanks for the help," Haru began before flinching when he turned to face him.

"Susanoo, enemies on the southeast ridge," Najenda called out from the manta, "Don't let them escape!" "Understood," the new guy responded before picking his weapon back up. He moved faster than any of them expected and leaped back up to the manta as it swept low over their group. Before it could move clear of them, Haru made a dash to get on it as well. There was no way he was going to let them finish this battle without him. "Haru!" Mine called out, lifting a hand up. Without breaking his stride he grabbed her arm and swung her around so she could get a grip on his shoulder with her free hand, since her other hand still held Pumpkin.

As he leaped up into a nearby tree, he noticed that Tatsumi had picked Akame up and was making for the cliffs on foot. While his armor would allow him to get their faster, Haru had a better idea for his own transport. Just as the manta was starting to get higher, Haru jumped while focusing his power down to his feet. This was something he had only ever thought about doing, but had never _actually_ tried. The flames erupted from the souls of his boots, propelling him up and onto the manta's back. Najenda didn't even turn around as they landed near her and Susanoo. Haru also noticed a third hooded person kneeling to one side, but he shook his head and focused on the battle as the manta swept towards the enemy leader.

When they got close enough, Susanoo went to drop from the manta as he had before. But before he could jump Haru was next to him with a hand on his shoulder. "I'm going with you," he said, his look making it clear there was no room for argument. Nodding, Susanoo put an arm around Haru's shoulders before dropping to the ground. With him taking most of the impact, Haru barely felt anything when they landed, although he did feel like his dinner was about to come back up when he saw what they were going to fight. It was a mass of flesh that had a vaguely human torso growing from it and instead of a head, there was a man in the middle of its shoulders.

To make matters worse, he watched as a mouth opened up in the middle of its chest right before it ate what appeared to be one of its allies. "What in the name of everything good is that thing?" Haru asked, drawing its attention as it grew bigger. It became more human in appearance, with one of its arms turning into a mechanical arm while its head took on a human/machine hybrid appearance. He could just make out the man controlling the entire thing on its forehead, though he didn't have long to examine this creature before it attacked. Bringing one of its feet up, it attempted to stomp him and Susanoo into paste.

Haru rolled to one side while Susanoo dashed to the other, both of them managing to get clear before it came crashing down. Turning back to face the foot, Haru brought his sword up in a swing, crying, "Zündung!" The wave of flame crashed into it, but did little real damage. Likewise, when Susanoo leaped up and tried to break one of the creature's forearms, his weapon was stopped cold before he was smacked back to the ground.

At this point, Tatsumi had caught up to them with Akame on his back. "Wow, he's much bigger up close," Tatsumi said. "Really? I didn't notice," Haru replied. Before Tatsumi could fire back a retort, they were both forced to dodge an attempted punch. Said punch left behind a rather impressive crater. "Well, at least this thing can't move too fast," Haru said when he landed, "Anyone got any ideas?" "What's controlling it?" Akame asked. "Based on what I saw before it got big, I think it's Dr. Stylish," Haru replied before realizing they didn't know the name, "Look, it's the guy sitting in its forehead." "How the heck can he make something like this?" Tatsumi asked as he dodged another swipe. "You got me. Now as I was saying; anyone got any bright ideas?" Haru retorted as he threw a charged knife.

Needless to say, it exploded harmlessly on the creature's skin, which just served to frustrate Haru further. It didn't help that he could feel the drug wearing off with each passing moment. "Maybe we should strike for the master, then," Susanoo suggested before pulling Haru out of the way of another attack. "Not a bad idea," he replied, "Akame, think you and Tatsumi can handle that?" She just unsheathed her sword in response.

"Alright then; Susanoo, let's give them some cover!" Haru said as he charged again. They were forced to sidestep another punch, but this time they were able to use the arm as a ramp. Noticing their advance, Stylish tried to swipe them off with his other arm, only to have Susanoo block it with his staff. Continuing up to the creature's shoulder, Tatsumi leaped up at the thing's head just as a number of spiked tendrils shot out at him and Akame. His attempted counter was stopped short temporarily when an energy bolt blew through the creatures head, fired by Mine as the manta swept past them. Mustering as much energy as he could, Haru cried, "Zündung!" again and sent a wave of fire past Tatsumi's left before sending another one to his right.

This served to clear most of the stunned tendrils away as Tatsumi threw Akame at Stylish, sacrificing the last of his momentum to propel her further. Stylish didn't have a chance as she closed on him, and blood sprayed in a fine mist as she slit his throat before flying clear of him. Tatsumi, meanwhile, had landed around the creature's neck and had sprinted to its back before leaping up again and catching Akame as she started to fall. Haru, too weak to do much of anything except smile, resigned himself to a hard landing. Maybe if he could keep the creature's body beneath him, it wouldn't hurt too badly.

This plan was shot to hell when Susanoo grabbed him from behind before leaping off the dead beast as it began to fall. Unable to really resist, Haru just breathed easier while saying, "Thanks, man. I owe you one." Susanoo just remained quiet as he landed before letting Haru stand on his own. Well, he tried to. He got all of two steps before his knees gave out and he collapsed onto his back, panting as he felt the last of the drug leave his system. _Garrick wasn't kidding; it really did knock me on my ass_ he thought with a smile. Susanoo, meanwhile, just looked at him with a puzzled expression.

"Haru!" he heard off to the side. Turning his head, he saw Akame and Tatsumi, who was now out of his armor, rushing to his side. "Are you okay?" Tatsumi asked while Akame dropped to her knees next to him. "Yeah, I'm fine," he replied, "That shot took more out of me then I thought it would. I'm just going to lay here for a bit, okay?" While Tatsumi sighed in relief, Akame reached out and smacked the top of his head. "Ow! What was that for?" he asked as he struggled to sit up. "You shouldn't risk yourself like that," she said simply before standing up and walking away.

Rubbing his head, he just smiled and shook his head. Any further shenanigans were interrupted by the manta's reappearance. This time, it had the rest of Night Raid riding on its back. "Get on," Najenda told them, "We need to leave before anyone else shows up." With Susanoo's help, Haru was able to hobble over to the manta before collapsing in the middle of its back. His plan to nap on their way to a new location was ruined when a new girl leaned over him from behind. Her hair was light red, she looked like she was wearing some kind of earmuffs and had the unmistakable stick end of a sucker sticking out of her mouth.

"Huh, so that's what the Demon Sight looks like," she observed. With a start, Haru remembered that he hadn't had time to grab his blindfold during the battle. Sitting up quickly, he was about to ask Najenda to turn around for it when his forehead smacked right into the new girl's. "Ow! Watch it!" she said, leaning back and rubbing her head. Haru, meanwhile, had collapsed onto his back again, clutching his own head in an attempt to keep his vision from spinning as he groaned in pain.

Watching this whole thing, Akame tried to remain indifferent and failed. She was still worried about him, and despite what she had said she still felt that feeling going strong. It definitely did not help matters that she had learned what this was earlier that night. After she had returned to her room, she had found Leone standing outside her door with her arms crossed and giving Akame a disapproving look. "You know, for all his big talk I would have figured that the matchstick would have better endurance," she said, smiling. "Better endurance at what?" Akame asked, puzzled. "Come on, you don't need to play dumb," Leone replied, her smile growing broader, "So, how was it?" "It?"

Leone looked genuinely stunned at this, and proceeded to face palm so hard that Akame thought she might bruise herself. "That idiot," she mumbled, "Did he say anything? I thought he would at least have to guts to come clean." Suddenly remembering what had happened up on the balcony, Akame felt her cheeks growing a bit warmer. "Come clean about what?" she asked, trying to hide her reaction. But judging from the look Leone got, it didn't work. Grabbing one of Akame's arms, Leone pulled her into the room before closing the door and saying, "Alright, Akame, spill it."

Figuring that Leone was probably the best choice of the girls to talk to, Akame sat down on her bed before telling her about the encounter. If nothing else, she might be able to help her figure out just what was wrong with her, and possibly how to fix it. "I don't know what's wrong with me, Leone," she said finally, "I can't really concentrate when he's around, and it's worse when it's just the two of us." While Leone had listened to this whole thing with the biggest (and possibly evilest) grin imaginable, hearing that Akame didn't know what this was caused her brain to come to a full stop.

"You really don't know what this is?" she asked, just to be clear, "Seriously?" When Akame nodded, Leone face-palmed again. "Just what did they teach you when you were younger?" "They taught us how to kill people," Akame replied promptly, "Methods to control your emotions during a fight and focus on your objective. But, I can't control this emotion, and I've been trying really hard." Clearly, beating around the bush was going to do less good here than it did with Haru.

"You're falling in love, Akame," Leone deadpanned before she stood back and watched the show. It was interesting to watch the emotions play across Akame's face. First, she was surprised, making it clear that she hadn't even remotely considered this. That was quickly followed by embarrassment at this realization, which caused her entire face to turn the color of a tomato. This just caused Leone to burst out laughing as Akame struggled to respond. "I'm… I mean, I can't… love?" she managed, trying to compose herself, "How?"

It took Leone a few moments to collect herself before she could actually answer her, since this was all just too funny. Akame, always the serious and focused one was struggling and out of her depth because of Haru. It was almost enough to cause Leone to start laughing again, almost. "Well, you two seem to get along really well," Leone said, figuring she would have to lay it all out for Akame, "And you spent a lot of time together. And besides, Haru can be really charming in his own way."

"You sound like you're talking from experience," Akame commented, causing Leone to blush. "I-Well, maybe," she mumbled, turning away. This caused Akame to laugh softly, and before long they were both laughing at their own awkwardness. They had spent a fair amount of time talking before Leone had left to go to sleep. It had been interesting to finally talk with someone about this, and it was also strangely liberating.

And now here she was again, around Haru and now fully aware of what she was feeling. While on the outside she appeared to be observing the ground below them as they flew, on the inside Akame was waging a war with this new knowledge. She was trying hard to stand by what she had told Haru. But now that she knew what this was, she was finding it increasingly difficult to deny it. As a result, she was relatively unaware of her surroundings and was surprised when Leone sat down next to her and dropped a hand on her shoulder.

"You alright?" she asked, looking concerned. Akame just nodded, not trusting herself not to say something she would regret. "Why don't you go talk with him?" Leone asked, giving her a knowing smile. "I don't think that's the best idea right now," Akame said, looking back out at the ground. "Why not?" Leone asked, "He clearly feels the same. Besides, you shouldn't pass up a good thing." "Does he?" Akame asked back as she brought her knees up and folded her arms across them, "Or was he just reacting? He doesn't even regard himself as human, Leone. What if he's given up on trying to be human?"

Leone was taken back by that one. Now that she thought about it, it definitely seemed like Haru had been acting different. He always laughed and joked with them, even hanging out with her and Lubbock during their periods of down time. But, now that she remembered some of the comments that he had made off-hand, she realized that Akame had a point; deep down, Haru believed himself to be a monster. She could only imagine what had happened that had caused him to believe that to be true, but it was glaringly obvious in hindsight.

"Then you'll just have to convince him he's wrong," Leone said finally, giving Akame an encouraging slap in the back, "And if you need it, I'll help you." Smiling at Leone, Akame nodded in thanks before looking back out at the ground. It had been gradually changing from rolling trees and fields into foothills before finally becoming tree-topped mountains. Choosing one of the taller ones, Najenda set the manta down on its peak before ordering them all off. As the manta flew back to its nest, Haru took the time to look around the area.

"The Danger Beasts in this area are all regarded as high level," Najenda told them as she lit a cigarette, "So it's relatively unexplored by people. It should serve as a good place to make a temporary base while we try to set up a new headquarters near the capital." "And how exactly are we going to set up a temporary base?" Haru asked, waving his hand at their surroundings. "That's a good question," Najenda replied, smiling, "Susanoo, why not show them how to fix that?"

Without a word, Susanoo walked off into the trees and started to chop them down with lightning speed. Seeing that he was on a mission, the others just spread out and rested. In just under 2 hours, Susanoo had the basic skeleton of a building set up and showed no sign of tiring as he continued on. "That's impressive," Leone said, "I can't believe the Revolutionary Army would give up such a powerful Imperial Arms." "Well, he was inactive until I got there," Najenda told them, "So they didn't have much of a choice in the matter." "So what about her?" Haru asked, pointing at the new girl.

"I have a name, thank you," she said, trying to sound offended, "If you hadn't head-butted me, I might have told you." "Then why not tell me now?" Haru replied, crossing his arms. "I'm not sure I want to. You're being rude." "This is Chelsea," Najenda said, trying to head off any arguments, "She's one of the army's most experienced infiltrator and assassin. In fact, she's completed almost as many jobs as Akame has, including her time serving the Empire." _That_ got Haru's attention as he gave the smiling girl a second look.

"And how exactly did you manage that?" Haru asked, remaining skeptical. "Well, that's a trade secret," she said, smiling and winking, "But if you're nice to me, I might tell you." Snorting, Haru walked off to a rather large tree before sitting down. Off on the other side of the clearing, Akame, Leone and Mine had been talking idly. Seeing Haru off on his own, Leone gave Akame a not so subtle nudge. Looking at them in confusion, Akame just sighed as Mine waved her hand while mouthing "go on."

For a moment, Akame considered ignoring their advice. _I need to remain professional. I can't do something that would cause me to hesitate._ She kept repeating these words, trying to convince herself that they were true, that she needed to keep her distance to protect them both. It worked up until she glanced over at Haru. He was resting with his back on the tree trunk, his eyes closed and his breaths even. He was either asleep, or trying to sleep, and seeing him looking so peaceful served to wear away her conviction quicker than she would have liked.

Walking over and sitting down next to him, Akame struggled to find something to say. "You doing alright?" Haru asked without opening his eyes, "The poison isn't causing any lingering effects?" "N-no," she said before cursing herself for stammering. _Please, please don't notice it_ she begged as she felt her cheeks growing a bit warmer. Unfortunately, he did. Opening his eyes, Haru turned and looked at her, looking concerned. "Are you sure? You look a little red," he said, moving his hand up to check for a fever. "I'm fine," she replied, stopping his hand, "I'm just…"

Even in his tired state, Haru could guess what it was that was making her act odd. Lowering his hand, he smiled before settling back the way he had been. "I thought you said we can't," he commented, sounding hurt. "I did," Akame replied, feeling horrible for it, "But, that doesn't mean we can't enjoy each other's company, does it?" moving his hand so it was on top of hers, Haru said, "No, I guess it doesn't." Smiling, Akame leaned her head back on the tree and closed her eyes, enjoying this moment for all it was worth.

The smell of cooking food a few hours later roused the two from their nap. Standing up and stretching, Haru let out a loud, long yawn as he felt a few of his joints pop. Turning around, he helped Akame to her feet before noticing that Susanoo had set up a makeshift kitchen outside. He had already put together a kind of stir fry, and it smelled and looked amazing. "Is there anything you can't do?" Haru asked as he walked over. The Imperial Arms just smiled slightly as he continued to cook. Hearing a grumbling behind him, he saw Akame almost drooling as she smelled the food. He also noticed that Lubbock seemed annoyed by something, always glancing over every few seconds before turning away again and grumbling.

Leaving Akame to pester Susanoo for some samples, he walked over to his friend. "Alright, what's up?" he asked as he turned Lubbock away. "It's just that I've noticed that everyone is getting awfully chummy with the new guy," Lubbock said, his look turning darker, "Even the boss." "Concerned that an Imperial Arms is going to sweep Najenda off her feet?" Haru asked, laughing softly at the look Lubbock gave him. He had learned a while ago about his friend's long-time crush on their boss, and he gave him friendly grief over it from time to time. But the fact that Lubbock was trying to compete with an Imperial Arms, of all things, was almost too funny.

"I don't think you have to worry," Haru told him as he struggled to keep himself from laughing, "Susanoo might be a good guy, but I don't think he has any romantic feelings towards the boss." "Since we're on the subject; what about your own feelings towards a certain assassin?" Lubbock asked, grinning. Haru tried not to react in any way, but he felt his own spirits drop. "I don't think there's anything to worry about there, either," Haru replied, looking away. "Oh? You seal the deal already?" Lubbock asked, his smile growing broader, "Good to know that you've put what I taught you to use."

"No, it's not that," Haru said, "She and I… We agreed that it's best not to start something. It would only get in the way and cause us pain." "Are you freaking kidding?" Lubbock demanded, his voice rising, "She said that, and you agreed?! What the hell have I been teaching you all this time?" "About a dozen different ways to peak on girls bathing?" Haru offered, causing Lubbock to laugh. "Okay, seriously; are you just going to let her go like that?" Lubbock asked after he had collected himself. "It's probably for the best, Lubbock," he replied, "Honestly, who would want to spend their life with someone like me?"

"You're too hard on yourself, Haru," Lubbock said as he walked over to get some food. Haru lingered behind for a few moments, trying to collect himself so he wouldn't trash the good mood that Susanoo's cooking was creating. Judging from the expressions on everyone's faces, it was really good food.

 _I wish I could go easier on myself_ Haru thought, feeling that familiar gloom coming back, _but it won't change what I am. I don't think anything will._ Once again, he found himself thinking about Esdeath and the Jaegers. They had seen him for what he was, and they hadn't been bothered by it in the slightest. Granted, neither had the members of Night Raid, but Esdeath had even gone so far as to confess her love for him despite seeing what he was. _And here I thought I'd already made my choice_ he realized as he walked over, _but it's still there, waiting for me._

 _So where is it that I want to make my home? And with who?_


	11. Chapter 11

After they had eaten, they met in the mostly-finished main hall. "We will remain here while the Revolution's scouts set up a new headquarters for us near the capital," Najenda told them, "Since the creatures in this area are all powerful, use this as an opportunity to train yourselves and get stronger. Now that the Empire is gathering Imperial Arms users, we're going to need as much strength as we can get." "Beat the crap out of Danger Beasts at high altitude for the next few weeks?" Haru asked, smiling, "Boss, have you been using that third eye on me?"

She just smiled as she stood up and dismissed them all. Susanoo returned to setting up the rest of the building, which was starting to turn into a lodge, while Chelsea pestered Mine and Lubbock. While she didn't seem to have any ill-will towards them, Mine was clearly still ticked off at the girl for it. Apparently, she didn't like it when people pointed out how small she was, in more ways than one. Rather than find someplace to rest or start his training, Haru decided that what he needed right now was advice.

"Hey boss, can I talk to you for a moment?" Haru asked, walking over as Najenda left. Motioning that he should follow, she led them to her new private room. While it was smaller than her old one at the hideout, it was still fairly big. Sitting down at her desk, she pulled over an ash tray before lighting a cigarette. "So, what's up, Haru?" she asked, sounding amused about something. "I need to talk with you about something," Haru admitted as he pulled up another chair, "And, well… I need a woman's advice." "I think you're a good match," she said simply, smiling. "Wait, what?" Haru asked, completely lost.

"This is about you and Akame isn't it?" she asked. "Uh, well… sort of," he admitted, blushing, "It's a little more complicated than that." Taking a deep breath, he laid out the decision before him, holding nothing back. If there was anyone he trusted to give him an honest and informed opinion, it would be Najenda. She might have her quirks, like the rest of them, but she was also much more experienced and less likely to use this to mess with him. After he had explained his problem, they sat in silence while Najenda pondered his problem.

It was both impressive and sad to learn that one of her best fighters had endured such abuse in such a short period of time. She had known about the loss of his home, but to now know the full details about his brush with death before joining Night Raid changed her view of him. He wasn't just an impressive fighter and a good friend; he was someone that had suffered serious scars, and he had allowed it to color his opinion of himself.

"So, you're trying to figure out where you want to be," Najenda summarized, "And you don't think you're welcome here?" "It's not that," Haru replied, "It's just… Even if we win, even if the revolution is successful and we create a new nation, all of Night Raid will still be viewed as criminals. We'll still have to outrun or outfight a nearly endless number of bounty hunters and people trying to make a name for themselves. So…" "When you look at it like that, the offer of sanctuary is quiet appealing," Najenda finished for him, "You do realize what it will mean if you choose their side, don't you?"

He hesitated at that one before sighing. "I would have to fight all of you. Most likely, to the death," he said, letting his head drop, "But, at the same time I've gotten to know a few of the Jaegers. They're not all bad people; they're just committed to the other side. I'm not sure I can…" He trailed off there, knowing that Najenda would be able to fill in the rest. She took a long drag on her cigarette before blowing the smoke out and setting it in the ash tray. "I won't pretend to fully understand what you're going through, Haru," she said finally, "And I don't envy the position you've found yourself in. If you decide to join them, I won't think any less of you for it."

Looking up in surprise, he saw her smiling sadly at him. "I can understand your desire to help them," she told him, "And I also understand why you came to me for help. But this is your decision, and you must make it. Just know that you're still welcome here, Haru, and that we don't see you as a monster." With that, Najenda got up and walked into the bedroom end of her chambers. Taking the hint, Haru got up and left the room before heading outside. He needed to clear his head and think clearly, something he couldn't do with the others around.

After he had walked for a way, he heard the sound of water. Following it, he found a natural pond with a waterfall flowing into it. It then became a medium-sized stream that went out towards the valley below. Strangely, the whole area was calming to him, and Haru found a spot on a large rock before lying down and crossing his arms behind his neck. Letting the roar of the falls drown out the outside noise, he focused on his inner turmoil as he closed his eyes. His struggle quickly turned into a two-sided debate.

 _Why shouldn't we accept Esdeath's offer_ the first side said, _isn't it about time we stopped wondering if we're going to get our throat slit at night? Haven't we earned the right to some peace by now?_

 _And what about your commitment to Night Raid and the Revolution_ the other side argued, _you swore to change this country so no one would suffer like you have again. Would you really abandon all of that just to save your own hide? Do your convictions mean so little to you?_

Haru could feel himself getting more and more frustrated by the moment, and it was all he could do to not start lashing out with his fire blindly. _You know what? Fuck it_ he thought suddenly, sitting up and taking his cloak off. Unclipping his sword belt and knife pouch, he dropped them on top of his cloak before walking out onto the rock covered shoreline. Bringing his hand up, Haru focused on it and summoned a small fireball before throwing it at one of the larger boulders. He repeated this process, each fireball coming faster and faster while growing steadily bigger.

Haru quickly found himself lost in a pointless blind rage, feeling his pent-up frustrations feeding into his attacks and making them grow much stronger. For whatever reason, the boulder had become a focus of this anger; something he could lash out at without holding back. Finally, he summoned a pair of fireballs before throwing one with all of his might. Using that momentum, he spun around and launched the other before bringing both hands up and creating a much larger fireball. With a cry, he launched it at the rock, willing it to break into a thousand pieces.

As the blast collided with the boulder it burst into a large explosion that rebounded off the cliffs and trees as well as hurting Haru's ears. He barely registered this pain as he bent over with his hands on his knees, panting and dripping with sweat from his attacks. When he looked up, he noticed that the rock face had melted by quite a bit, but the boulder was still mostly intact. For some reason this just pissed Haru off more, and he felt his strength return in one massive flow. Standing up and bringing his right arm back, he formed another fireball as he felt the flames inside him flare up like they never had before.

It was like when he had first bonded with this weapon; worse, actually, as an indescribable pain welled up and threatened to incinerate him. In a mad moment of inspiration, he focused this power to his hand and felt the fire there grow stronger and hotter. "Verbrennen!" he commanded as he hurled the new fire at the rock, briefly noting that the flames were a golden color as opposed to the usual red and yellow.

When it collided with the rock, it exploded and expanded around the rock's surface, moving faster than Haru could track. As he stood there, panting, he watched as the golden fire ate _through_ the rock, turning it into ash as it burned through it like it was made of paper. He soon realized that it was starting to spread and consume the other rocks on the shore and he quickly snuffed the flames out before walking back to where he had left his weapons.

 _What the hell was that_ he wondered as he tried to recover from the strain. It was all he could do not to pass out, since he used more fire in that one session than he normally dared to. Not to mention that he had just discovered a new flame he could use. Flopping onto his back, he looked up and noticed that the sun was starting to set, and that the clouds were taking on a pleasant hue of reds and oranges. He didn't notice the raven-haired girl standing under the trees, watching him with growing concern.

Akame had been pulled aside by Leone and Mine not long after Haru had gone to talk with Najenda. After they had dragged her away from the others, Mine turned on her while looking furious. "What is wrong with you?!" she demanded while Leone just stood back. She had tried to calm Mine's temper earlier when they had swapped stories about Akame and Haru, but it hadn't worked. "What do you mean?" Akame asked, sounding confused, "Nothing is wrong with me." "You know full well what I mean, Akame," she said, pointing at her, "Haru practically confessed to you, and you shot him down because you… You…"

At this point, Mine's rage had grown to the point where she couldn't even speak clearly. Grabbing the back of her jacket, Leone pulled her sputtering friend back before stepping between them with her best smile. "She means well," Leone said, trying to be diplomatic, "But I don't think you need someone screaming at you." Placing her hands on Akame's shoulders, Leone decided that now was the time to take on her 'big sis' role. "Akame, listen to me. I get that you don't want to risk making a bond only to lose it," she said, smiling warmly, "But you're not going to get anywhere if you allow that fear to control you. You allowed yourself to make friends with all of us, didn't you?"

"But that's not the same," Akame protested, looking down, "With Haru, it's… I don't know what it is." "You feel better with him around," Leone said, having a good idea what she was feeling, "You feel _complete_ when he's around, and you feel like your heart is getting ripped out when he's in danger. Is that about right?" Blushing, Akame still refused to meet Leone's eyes, but nodded just the same. It was more embarrassing than she wanted to admit that she was so easily read. That everyone seemed to know more about this than she did just served to make her feel worse.

"What can I do?" she asked when she finally looked at them, "He doesn't even consider himself human. Not only that, but I can tell that he's still drawn to Esdeath. Why does that hurt so much?" "I think you know, Akame," Leone said as she pulled her into a comforting hug, "And I think it's about time you started to face up to this. Talk to him. Make him understand that he's not a monster; that you care." "If you don't, I will kick your butt. You hear me?" Mine added, trying to look serious but still grinning.

Looking between her friends, she nodded in thanks before heading out to find Haru. They were right, of course; it was high time that she faced this before it consumed her. After searching the mostly completed lodge, she went out into the woods before she heard a serious of explosions. Following them, she thought it might be Danger Beasts fighting nearby. Keeping one hand on her sword hilt, she moved more cautiously before she came upon Haru's impromptu training. Taking her hand off her sword, she watched in awe as he hurled more fire at that rock than she had ever seen him use before. His last attack was the most impressive; summoning fire that actually ate away at the stone before he put it out.

Watching him plod back to his things and collapse, she could tell that he was exhausted from his attacks. _It's now or never_ she told herself. Taking a deep breath, she walked over and sat down just next to him. It took Haru a few moments to even realize that someone had joined him, and when he looked up he saw Akame smiling down at him. "That was an impressive show," she said, trying to lighten the mood.

"Yeah," Haru agreed, closing his eyes, "Makes me wonder what would happen if I was _really_ pissed off." "Listen, Haru," Akame began, trying to find the right words, "About what I said the other night… it's not that I don't like you. I do. It's just that… I'm not sure what I should do… what _we_ should do." As she spoke, Akame could feel her cheeks growing warmer. But now that she'd started, she found that she couldn't stop. Not only that; she discovered that she didn't _want_ to stop. "I know that it won't be easy, for either of us," she continued, "But, I'm not going to give up on trying. And I'm not going to let you give up on being human."

When she finished, she looked down at him, trying to convey her feelings through her eyes. And he was asleep. He was out cold and breathing softly, and for a moment Akame felt like she was channeling Mine. She had said all of that, spoken from the heart, and he had _slept through it_. Taking a deep breath, she grabbed one of his arms and draped it around her shoulders before she started back to the lodge. On the way, she thought about what she had said and realized that she meant every word. She wasn't about to let this go, to let _him_ go, without a fight.

The next day Haru found himself in a proper bed, in a proper room. Granted, he wasn't alone. Lubbock and Tatsumi were sleeping soundly in their own beds, and Haru found himself briefly wishing that this was only temporary. While trying to make as little noise as possible, Haru got up and walked out into the main hall. The smell of cooking food drew him towards the kitchen, where Susanoo was putting together a meal that held an absurdly large amount of meat. "Let me guess; Akame asked you to use more meat, didn't she?" he asked.

When the big man nodded, Haru just sighed before saying, "Please, just ignore her next time." "Why?" Susanoo asked, looking confused. "Well, she might be a red-blooded carnivore, but some of us enjoy more variety," Haru replied as he hung his cloak on a hook nearby. Gathering together some potatoes, he proceeded to dice them before frying them in a pan. He also grabbed some of their remaining fruit and put it together in a basket on the table before returning to the food. "You don't need to trouble yourself," Susanoo said after a while. "Yeah, and you don't need to do this alone," Haru replied without looking up, "Besides, it's unfair if we saddle you with all of the work. Which reminds me; if you have any construction left, get Tatsumi to help you."

"But it's my job," Susanoo objected. "You're part of Night Raid now, right?" Haru asked, looking up at him. "I am an Imperial Arms, made to serve and protect my master," Susanoo replied, "I don't think-" "Okay, different question; are you alive?" Haru asked. When Susanoo nodded, he continued, "You can think and feel, right?" Again, a nod. "Then you're a person, not a weapon. That makes you an equal member," Haru said before turning back to his own cooking. He caught the ghost of a smile on the big man's face, however, and he felt better because of it.

It was only after they had finished cooking and people started showing up to eat that Haru thought back on what he had said. _Wouldn't that reasoning apply to me as well_ he wondered, pausing over a roasted chunk of some kind of animal. He was experiencing one of those out-of-body moments, where you see things as another person would rather than yourself. As he went over that conversation again, he felt like he could start to let go of that pain.

 _But can you really? Is it so easy to forget what you have sacrificed, what you've turned yourself into?_ That incessant, negative voice in his head was really starting to get on Haru's nerves. Before he could actually think of some kind of answer, someone grabbed his shoulder from behind. "We're going to train together today," Akame told him before leaving. Ignoring the looks Mine and Leone gave him, Haru finished his food before heading out to the makeshift practice grounds. She was standing on the far end with a wooden training sword in each hand. Tossing him one, she took up her stance while looking at him expectantly.

"Really, you want to practice your sword technique?" he asked, holding his practice sword up and arching an eyebrow. "Not mine. Yours," she replied, "You wield your sword like a street fighter, without any real refinement or skill." "I don't have any skill? Tell that to the people I've taken down," Haru replied as he flipped the sword around so he had a reversed grip. When she looked at him questioningly, he said, "You want to develop sword techniques? Then I'm developing mine."

Smiling, she accepted his challenge before dashing forward. What followed were several hours of them trading blows, and Haru learning just how fast and precise Akame truly was. By the time they decided to take a break, Haru had numerous bruises along his legs, forearms and torso. Sitting down carefully, he still winced as his body reaped its vengeance over such abuse. Sitting next to him, Akame offered him a damp towel while she draped her own around her neck. Say what you want to about Haru's lack of a proper technique; he could be very good in his own right. In fact, his lack of a proper technique was an advantage in itself; she had found that it was very difficult to judge what he would do at any given moment.

"This isn't punishment for anything, is it?" he asked as he rubbed some of the sweat off his face. "Why would it be a punishment?" she asked, looking confused. He just held up his left arm as a silent response, showing off one of his more spectacular bruises. It had only just started to turn purple, but he could tell from the pain that it would be a decent-sized one. Seeing this, she looked away and down, suddenly feeling bad. "Hey, don't sweat it," Haru said when he saw her reaction, "I've been shot before, remember? This is nothing." "Still, I think that's enough for today," she replied as she got up to leave.

Reaching out, he grabbed her hand to stop her. "Well, we can just sit here for a while, can't we?" he asked, smiling a bit. Returning the smile, she sat back down and looked out at the mountains in the distance. It was only after a few minutes that Haru realized that he hadn't released her hand, and that she was in fact gripping his hand in return. Turning back and looking out at the view, he tried to enjoy this. He also realized that that pestering, negative voice that always seemed to be there had decided to shut up for once and he was glad for it.

After a few more minutes they separated to continue with their day. Haru, as it turns out, got to go with Leone and Tatsumi on a Danger Beast hunt. Akame, meanwhile, stayed behind and helped Lubbock set up his tripwire net around the area. This became a daily routine for the members of Night Raid; they hunted and trained, cooked and built, and all the while they strengthened their bonds with each other. Over the course of the next month, Haru learned many things.

He learned that what he had done their first day had in fact been his own trump card, and he had been focusing on calling on that kind of fire since then. He also learned that Chelsea was both a kind and fun person, and that she used a utility Imperial Arms as opposed to their combat ones. That she could shape-shift was impressive, but it also made Haru a bit suspicious for the next few days. He always expected her to use it to play some kind of trick on him, like what she did to Mine from time to time.

They all also got the chance to train properly with each other. Before, it had only been quick sparing matches when they had down time and weren't wounded. Now, it was proper, full-length sessions with each side giving it their all to win. Haru learned the true extent of Leone's power when in her beast form, that Sheele was definitely _not_ someone he ever wanted to piss off, as well as just how creative Lubbock could be with his wire. He got to help Mine improve her accuracy as she tried to pick off small balls of fire at a distance. Training with Tatsumi and Susanoo also served to improve his physical strength and stamina, as well as show him just how quickly Tatsumi was improving.

Haru had told him when they first met that if it came down to it, he could beat Bulat in a fight because of the nature of their respective weapons. Now that he saw the natural talent Tatsumi had for Incursio, he wondered if he would be able to take him if it came to it. All the while, Chelsea kept them on their toes with her surprises. That she was so skilled at pretending to be a wide variety of things was both impressive and scary. For a few days, she even took the extra step and impersonated a few of them. It forced Haru to learn their mannerisms to avoid being fooled again. One of the most surprising changes came from Mine.

She had gone out to hunt on her own a few hours before a bad storm hit. While everyone searched the surrounding area, assuming she had been on her way back and gotten caught, Chelsea had used her Imperial Arms to take the form of one of the native Beasts and headed further out. She had found Mine trapped in a cave almost a mile away from the lodge with a bad injury from her supposed prey. They had returned the next day, with Mine apologizing for her screw up. All the while, Chelsea had remained rather humble about it, and Haru suspected that the two girls had had a nice, long talk while they were stuck out there.

Haru's sword technique also saw improvement from his matches with Akame, and now it wasn't uncommon for them both to have a collection of bruises by the end. While he tried to appear as if everything was fine, on the inside he took special notice of her efforts. Every time he felt himself drifting into gloom, she always seemed to be there with some task or comment to pull him back. While he found it odd at first, he had to admit that it was comforting to have someone there to stabilize him. After the lodge had been completed, it wasn't uncommon for the two to take an hour out of their evenings and enjoy the view from the balcony on the second level.

While Haru enjoyed being able to spend time with her more, it also served to make his decision more difficult. In the back of his mind, there was still something that kept pulling him back to thoughts of the Jaegers, of Esdeath. After a few days of pondering this, Haru realized something; this wasn't love, at least not in the romantic sense. The more he thought about it, the more he remembered the look in her eyes during that first night. It was almost as if there was a part of her crying out for help, for comfort. He wanted to help her, to fix whatever it was that was wrong, because the more he thought about it the more he realized that she was what he could become.

And it wasn't just her; he had grown to like most of the Jaegers during his short time with them. They had all been kind to him and welcoming, and not because they had to. Haru found that he truly didn't want to fight them to the death, even though he knew that if he remained with Night Raid that it would come to that. _So how are you going to resolve this conflict, Haru_ he asked himself during their last night at the lodge. The next day they would be heading to their new headquarters, and then he would have to face them again. _It's time I picked a side_ he thought as he got up and walked over to his desk. Lighting a candle, he grabbed a pen and a piece of paper. He spent the next half hour writing out a note before addressing it. When he set the pen down and took a good, long look at it, he felt strangely relieved. Now it would just be a matter of finding the right place and time to deliver it.

His decision had been made, for better or worse.


	12. Chapter 12

When they arrived at their new hideout, Haru was mildly surprised to see that it was just a different version of their old building. Except for the exterior design and the location, it looked almost exactly the same as the old hideout. His suspicions were proven correct when they entered the building and found that the interior was pretty much the same as the old place. Their exploration was cut short when Najenda called them all into the main hall. She was holding an intelligence report from one of the Revolution's spies. Since the day of revolt was drawing closer, the Revolutionary Army had been dispatching more spies into and around the capital.

And judging from the look on Najenda's face this particular report was not a good one. "It seems that in our absence a new kind of Danger Beast has been showing up around the capital," she told them, sighing, "They are reported to be vaguely human in shape and possess some basic intelligence. As a result, they have focused their attacks on isolated settlements and people on the move. While the capital has taken action to try to eradicate these creatures, they've suffered serious casualties doing so."

"You don't sound too happy about that," Tatsumi observed. "Of course she wouldn't be," Haru replied, "Just imagine how many people have been caught and killed by these things." Just thinking about it made Haru's blood boil. This whole situation was spitting in the face of his goals, and he wasn't about to let that stand. "So, what are we going to do?" he asked, even though he would take action without an official order.

"Normally, I'd say that this is something we should leave to the capital," Najenda replied, "But, there's no telling how many of these creatures there are, or if they will eventually form larger groups to attack larger populations. So for the moment, we're on the same side as the capital. Night Raid will move to exterminate these monsters." While Haru and Tatsumi were pleased at this, Chelsea clearly wasn't.

"I think we should stay out of this one," she commented, drawing everyone's attention, "If we step in, we run the risk of being forced into a fight with the capital. Besides, these creatures are taking a large toll on their standing military. It would only benefit us in the long run if we let them waste more soldiers." "And leave God only knows how many people to their fates?" Haru demanded, taking a step forward, "I've witnessed a Danger Beast attack when there's no one to fight back. I _will not_ allow that to happen again, not as long as I'm still breathing."

Grabbing his sword from where he had left it, Haru left without another word while trying to contain his temper. He knew that Chelsea really wasn't a cold-hearted person; that she was only trying to help them all survive without undue risk. But he couldn't just sit back when he knew that people were getting killed like this. As he walked out the main door, he noticed that the sun was starting to go down. _Probably best to move at night, anyway_ he thought as he checked his various straps.

"Hey, Haru, wait up!" he heard from behind. Turning, he saw Lubbock, Tatsumi and Akame jogging to catch up with him. "So, you guys decided to join in?" he asked, smiling. "Najenda gave us the okay to act at night," Lubbock replied as he came to a stop, "We're the first group to head out. We're supposed to switch out with the others tomorrow." "Alright, that works," Haru said as he turned and lead the way.

After they had made it a safe distance from the hideout, they split into two groups. Akame and Tatsumi would head south to a cluster of villages while Haru and Lubbock would move west into the hills. Knowing full well that most large Danger Beasts favored that kind of terrain for their dens, Haru was hopeful that they would be able to find whatever these things used as a nest and crush it.

"So, you make a move yet?" Lubbock asked after a few hours of walking. This caught Haru by surprise and he remained silent as he tried to come up with an answer. He knew that trying to act oblivious wouldn't work, since Lubbock and pretty much all of Night Raid was aware of his…situation. "It's not really the time to forge bonds like that," Haru replied, trying to use Akame's argument for his own purpose. "Like you actually believe that," Lubbock said dismissively, "And I doubt that she does, either. If you ask me, it's high time that you bit the bullet and just said it."

"This coming from the guy who can't admit to his own crush?" Haru shot back, turning and smiling as Lubbock flinched. "Hey, that's a low blow!" he protested. "An assassin uses whatever means available, right?" Haru replied, laughing as Lubbock just glared at him. He was laughing along with him soon enough, however, and they continued their patrol in good spirits for the next hour.

"Alright, I'm heading up top," Haru said as he began to climb. "Why?" "Because I might get a better idea of where these things might be from up there," he replied as he disappeared up the rock face, "Just try to not get caught while I'm gone, alright?" "I believe that's your specialty, matchstick!" Lubbock replied as he spread a few of his wires out. Meanwhile, Haru was making steady progress up the rocks and found himself at the summit in short order. The view was amazing as he watched the sun starting to peak over the horizon, albeit a little cold from the altitude.

Drawing his cloak around himself, he scanned the area as thoroughly as possible. _No sign of these monsters_ he thought, _maybe they've been removed from this area_. As if to prove him wrong, Haru spotted a shadow moving across the moon out of the corner of his eye. Turning, he saw it was a flying Danger Beast and that someone was on its back. _Oh great, did I run into the enemy on my first night_ he wondered as he looked around for a place to hide. Spotting a likely group of rocks, Haru made for them while praying that he hadn't been spotted. And of course those prayers went unanswered.

Before he got more than a few feet, he watched as someone landed in front of him, kicking up a large dust cloud in the process. "Alright, surrender right now," said a familiar voice, "I'm taking you back to the tortu-" _Please, PLEASE don't let it be who I think it is_ he begged. But as the dust cleared, Haru saw that it was indeed Esdeath and that she had been prepared to attack him. Once she saw that it was him, she stopped cold and a blush appeared on her cheeks. Not knowing what else he could say, he just raised a hand and said, "Hey."

While he was trying to appear mildly surprised, on the inside Haru was raging at his luck. _WHY, why, in the name of God, must you always screw me over_ he screamed at it. Meanwhile, Esdeath walked over to him swiftly while sheathing her sword. The blush disappeared quickly, and Haru braced himself for a long lecture or at least a slap across the face. Instead, she just grabbed his shoulders and hugged him. "I missed you," she said softly as she held him tighter. Not knowing if he should really respond or not, Haru lightly hugged her back before trying to pull away so he could breathe.

"What are you doing out here?" she asked as she stepped back slightly. While her grip loosened by a bit, she wasn't about to give him a chance to run off again. "I heard about the Danger Beasts attacking people around the capital," Haru said, trying not to lie outright, "I wasn't about to just let them go around and kill people, so I decided to try and wipe out as many as I could." "Well then, I'm impressed with your progress," she said, her hands shifting to his arms, "I can tell you've gotten stronger. I wonder how much…" "I don't think that now's the time for that," Haru said, taking a step back.

Suddenly, Esdeath stiffened and turned to look behind her. Grabbing her sword, she unsheathed it while saying, "Come out, I know you're back there." While Haru wondered who she meant, a man in a ragged cloak with the hood up stepped out from behind one of the rocks. "Wow, and here I thought that I'd hid myself pretty well," he said, sounding amused, "But, I guess that's what is to be expected from the capital's strongest." "Who are you?" Esdeath asked as she pointed her sword at him. "And what makes you think you can just steal my outfit?" Haru asked as he stepped up next to her. "Well, well, I didn't think you'd be here, too," the man said, smiling, "To think that I'd attract two of the Demon wielders at once. I guess this means that play time is over."

Reaching into his cloak, the man brought out some kind of charm. "So, I think I'll have you two clean up after some big toys," he said as he held the charm up, "Shambala, activate!" In an instant Haru and Esdeath were surrounded by a bright, purple light. Looking down, he saw an intricate symbol in the same light on the ground and that it was easily three meters in diameter. "Stay close," Haru said, grabbing Esdeath's arm, "God only knows what this thing-" He didn't even have time to finish his sentence as the circle activated and they were teleported.

"-does," Haru finished as he looked out over water, the sun shining in his face from the _wrong_ direction. _What in the hell_ he wondered as he looked around. They were standing on a beach with tropical plants to their back and the ocean stretching out in front. _This can't be real_ he thought as he reached down and pulled a knife out of his pouch. "Well then, this is an impressive trick," Esdeath said as she looked around before noticing Haru with his knife, "What are you doing?" Rather than answer her, he brought the blade up and put the tip into the palm of his other hand. He put enough pressure on the blade to pierce the skin and cause some serious pain, but when Haru looked up he saw that everything was still the same.

Whipping the blade off on his shirt and returning it to its pouch, he said, "Alright, not an illusion. Pretty sure that would have broken it otherwise." "Not a bad idea," Esdeath mused as she took a second look around, "I think we should get some height and figure out where we are." Before Haru could ask how, she knelt down and placed her hand on the ground. In a flash, she froze a circle underneath their feet before raising them off the ground on a massive pillar of ice. _That's impressive_ Haru thought as he looked around again before feeling his spirits sink.

They were on an island. An island in what looked like the middle of nowhere. "Alright, how in the hell did he do this?" Haru asked, trying to keep his frustrations in check. "Well, that was definitely an Imperial Arms that he used," Esdeath said, "Judging from its ability, I'd say that it is one of the more powerful ones. If I had to guess, I'd say we're somewhere south of the capital, but I'd need to see the stars to be sure." Taking another look around, he couldn't find anything to dispute that claim. However, they were soon pulled from these thoughts when a massive creature emerged from the surf and started walking towards them.

It looked a lot like the final form Stylish had used against Night Raid, but it looked incomplete. It also didn't look happy to see people on its island. "Now that is one big, _ugly_ Danger Beast," Haru said as he unsheathed his sword. "Hmph, it seems to think it can ruin this moment," Esdeath said as she brought her hands up, "It's time you learned your place. Weissschnabel!" At her command at least a hundred razor sharp ice shards formed around her, just hanging in the air and giving Haru plenty to think about. _She's on a completely different level from me_ he realized as he tried not to gape, _I can only ever make fire directly; she's creating ice remotely, and on a_ huge _scale._

A solid second after she created her ice shards, Esdeath waved her hand at the creature and sent them soaring at it faster than Haru could track. It was also far faster than the creature could hope to move and it soon had a majority of them stuck in its body, causing it to roar in pain. This only seemed to piss it off, however, as it started to lumber towards their ice tower. "Okay, got anything else?" Haru asked as he prepared his own attack. "As a matter of fact, yes," she replied, kneeling, "Grauhorn!" This time, instead of dozens of ice shards, a massive spear of ice emerged from just below where they were standing on the pillar and flew at the thing's head.

This time, however, it was on guard and managed to shift its head enough to avoid a serious blow. _Great, it's learning_ Haru thought as he prepared to attack. "You're not as weak as I thought you were," Esdeath said, "But let's see how you deal with the next attack." Before she could really do anything, Haru had leaped down onto her ice spear and was sprinting towards the creature. It hadn't yet moved clear of the spear, and if it was the same as what Stylish had used then it would have a person controlling it. Sure enough, he spotted a person in a small hollow in the creature's head. _You're mine_ he told himself as he charged.

The creature wasn't about to go down without a fight, however. Bringing one of its arms up, it brought its fist crashing down onto the spear and shattered it. Leaping from the main body just as it started to collapse, Haru jumped between several of the larger shards before he felt like he had gotten close enough. "Zündung!" he cried out as he brought his sword down. The wave of fire, thankfully, was well aimed and it crashed right into the being in control of the creature. It gripped its head and bellowed in agony as the fire ate away at it before collapsing to the ground. A good kill, to be sure, but it still left Haru with one problem; he was now in free fall with about 30 feet of open air between him and the ground.

 _Guess it's time for one of my new tricks_ he thought as he spun so he faced the ground. Reaching out with his left hand, he focused his fire into that arm before ejecting it with as much force as he could. The blast was enough to slow his dissent so when he hit the sand it only hurt a little. But when he heard crashing behind him, he felt his spirits plummet again. Turning around, he saw another one of those creatures barreling straight for him. Haru tried to get back onto his feet to move, but his legs gave out just as he stood up, leaving him helpless. _Well, shit_ he thought as he watched it get closer.

It was at this point that Esdeath stepped in. Leaping from the top of the ice tower, she spun to face the new threat. "Sorry, monster, but that man belongs to me," she said as she snapped her fingers, "Hagelsprung!" This time, it was a massive ball of ice that formed just behind her. And when he said massive, he meant _freaking huge_. Like the size of a small mountain huge. Esdeath just smiled as she spun to the side, letting the ice ball pass her by before crashing into the second creature and crushing it. She then waved her hand and created a kind of ice slide that swerved around to where Haru was still lying. She slid down safely with a triumphant smile on her face.

"Well, that was impressive," Haru admitted as he picked himself up. This time his legs managed to support his weight, albeit with a little trembling. He must have hit the ground harder than he thought. "I was hoping that I could use that to show off for you," Esdeath admitted as she walked over, "But it seems you're more than capable of taking care of yourself. Just another reason why we're so perfect for each other." _Don't get too far ahead of yourself_ Haru thought as he leaned up against one of the trees. "So, now what?" he asked as he looked around.

"Well, you should definitely rest first," she said as she walked over, looking concerned, "Then we should explore the rest of this place." "Yeah, that sounds like a good plan," Haru replied. He had definitely pulled a muscle on that less-than-spectacular landing. Sliding down into a sitting position, Haru tried not to grimace as lances of pain shot up his right leg. _Yeah, that's gonna smart for a while_ he thought as he pulled his leg up and tried to massage the knot away. Seeing this, Esdeath kneeled down next to him before reaching out and taking his calf in her hands. She then proceeded to massage the muscle, leaving Haru staring at her in surprise.

It wasn't unpleasant, but it did bring to the surface a lot of the thoughts and feelings he had been trying damned hard to suppress. _Goddamnit, why can't this be easy_ he thought as he let his head rest on the tree. Once again, he thought that he'd made his choice. He even had that letter he had prepared and everything. But now he wasn't so sure he could carry through with that plan. After a few minutes Haru picked himself back up before unclipping his cloak. They were on a tropical island, after all, and now that he didn't have to focus on fighting he realized that it was actually quite hot out.

As they explored the island, their priorities shifted from looking for potential threats to looking for food. Over the next few hours they gathered several different fruits, a few small animals and a rather nice tan. Esdeath had decided to remove her jacket at one point so she wasn't so uncomfortable in the heat. However, it turns out that she didn't have an undershirt, so she was left in her bra. While she wasn't bothered by this, Haru had to force himself not to stare. She was, after all, a very beautiful woman.

By the time they had completed their exploration, night had already started to settle in. Setting up a small fire near where they had first appeared, they cooked what they had caught during the day and enjoyed a rather nice, if somewhat basic, meal. Looking out at the ocean as the sun set, Haru couldn't help but enjoy the moment. Despite everything, he couldn't help but think that deep down Esdeath was still a good person. _Of course, that could just be because it's me she's with_ he thought gloomily. Lost in these thoughts, he didn't notice her shift so she was sitting next to him. He did, however, feel her hand find his.

"It's almost like we were on a date today," she mused as she looked at the water. He just nodded in reply, not trusting his voice at the moment. Noticing Haru's hesitation, Esdeath decided to try being more direct. Of course, he knew full well what she was going to try and start, and he tried to think of something else they could do before they reached a point of no return. "You know, I just remembered that we don't really know that much about each other," he said in a moment of inspiration. "Don't we know all that we need to?" she asked as her other hand moved up to his chest.

"Well, no, actually," Haru replied, trying to keep his heartbeat steady, "How about I go first?" Trying to pull his concentration away from her almost contagious desire, Haru told her about where he come from and what he had been through. He made it a point to avoid telling her about his time in the Revolutionary Army or Night Raid; no point in provoking someone that could easily kill him. "Well, I could tell that you had been through some difficult times," she said when he had finished, "But to live through such challenges and keep your head held high; that's very impressive."

Sitting up and turning to face him, she smiled and said, "I guess you would like to know about me now. I was a member of the Paltas clan, near the northern border. We were hunters and fighters, and my father was the clan's leader. Eat or be eaten; I was brought up in that wonderful environment, taught how to hunt, kill and harvest from some of the most powerful Danger Beasts around. Both sides would give their all to survive, and only the strongest would prevail. Living like that was fun and I enjoyed every moment of it."

"One day, a rival tribe from across the border attacked our village while I was away hunting," Esdeath continued, "When I returned, all of the huts were burning and my father was near death. He told me, "We were weaker, and so we lost. It can't be helped." After that, I hunted on my own for a while before joining the capital's army." "Well, that explains what you did when you lead the attack on the northern tribes," Haru said, trying to remain clam. Inside, however, he was reeling from her story. He was also hoping against all odds that the conclusion his mind was coming to was wrong.

"They were a powerful opponent," Esdeath said, looking confused, "I did what I did to cut costs and set an example to the others. It wasn't out of some sense of revenge, if that's what you mean." "So you froze all those people, caused all that destruction because it was your job?" he asked. "As I said, it was to set an example and spare my forces from excess losses," she repeated, looking frustrated, "I don't see why you're so worked up about this. They were weak. It is what they deserved."

 _Damnit, damnit, DAMNIT_ he thought as he tried to keep his reaction to himself. He had always suspected that what was wrong with her had been something fundamental to her character, but he had hoped against it. He had hoped that it was some kind of brainwashing, or that she had possessed somewhat justifiable reasons behind her actions. Hell, if it wasn't for the fact that they had the same type of weapon he would have blamed her behavior on the Demon's Extract. But it wasn't any of those things, and that made his choice painfully clear.

She had been raised on the most basic laws of nature, and she had ingrained it so deeply into her being that he wasn't going to be able to change it. Esdeath wouldn't be turned against the capital, because they would allow her to act as she saw fit while the Revolution wouldn't. She would never side with or fight to protect those she deemed too weak. Despite what she claimed to feel for him, Haru was sure that if he chose to fight against the capital that it would also mean fighting her. _I guess it's decision time_ he thought as he looked down and away.

Before he could really agonize over the choice before him, the ground off to his left lit up with the same purple light that had sent them here. Standing up quickly, Haru gathered his cloak as he prepared for…something. He didn't know what he expected to happen, but after a few moments it became clear that nothing was going to come through the circle. "Maybe that's our way back," Esdeath said as she walked up next to him. "Even if it is, we have no way of knowing what's on the other side," Haru said as he put his cloak back on. Unsheathing his sword, he walked forward while saying, "I'll go through first. Give me a good ten count and then follow."

Without waiting for her approval, Haru stepped into the light and felt a sudden rush. There was a blinding light and then he found himself back on the peak where he had started. It was still night out and freaking _cold_. _I guess we're back_ he thought as he looked around. Suddenly remembering what he had told Esdeath, he realized that he had about 8 seconds to make his escape. Before he turned and left, Haru found a clear area with a small amount of vegetation growing on it. Lighting a small fire to illuminate the area, Haru took the note out of his pocket and pinned it down with a rock upwind of the fire.

"I'm sorry," he whispered as he stood up and dashed for the cliff edge. Not a second after he got over the edge, he heard a slight whine behind him and figured that it was Esdeath coming through the portal. While he felt like trash for running, he knew that trying to talk her down or explain would be a waste of time for both of them. He moved as carefully as he could to avoid drawing attention until he had gotten a good distance away. It was then a matter of deciding how best to get back to the hideout. Lubbock would have gone back long ago once he realized Haru wasn't coming back down anytime soon. Lord only knows what he told the others this time. He was definitely not looking forward to explaining this one.

As he made his way back, Haru found himself dwelling on the decision he had just made. There was no turning back now; he was committed to a path. And even though he still felt guilty about it, another part of him felt…better. Taking a deep breath to steady himself, he said, "I'm an assassin and warrior for the Revolution. I'm committed to changing this nation so no one suffers needlessly again." He said it more to cement the idea in his head than anything, but it still made him feel a bit better. By the time he had made it back to the new hideout, the sun had started to rise. As he looked at the fortress in the cliff, he could feel his spirits rising. _I'm home_.


	13. Chapter 13

When Haru was within a few meters of the hideout, he felt a slight tug on his boot. Looking down, he had just enough time to register a wire wrapped around his ankle before his leg was pulled back and up. As a result, his forehead smacked into the ground hard enough that he saw stars for a brief second as the snare lifted him up a meter by his leg. He just hung there for a while, gripping his head as he tried to stop his vision from spinning and make his ensuing headache go away.

 _I can't believe I just walked into that_ he thought gloomily as he looked around. For the moment, it appeared that no one was around. Looking up at the wire around his foot, he noticed that it looked a lot like one of Lubbock's wires. _Of course it would be one of his_ Haru chastised, _they probably thought they were about to get raided again._ Thankfully, his knives hadn't come loose during his little…trip. Pulling one of them free, he took a moment to try and trace the wire before throwing it. The knife embedded itself in the tree limb, severing the wire and causing Haru to land on his back, knocking the wind from him.

Sitting up and rubbing his head, Haru had all of three seconds to wonder if there were other traps before someone barreled into him from the front. All he saw was a yellow streak and then he could barely breathe. "Haru, you're safe!" Leone said, hugging him tighter. Finally pulling his head up and out of her chest, he managed, "I won't be for long if you don't let go." While she did let him go and help him up, she was still absolutely ecstatic that he was still in one piece. Taking a deep breath to see if she had actually cracked any ribs this time, he turned to her and asked, "So, what did I miss?"

"Well, after your vanishing act we got to spend yesterday in a cave nearby," she said, crossing her arms and looking irritated. It was kind of a funny look for her, considering she was in her beast form, but at the same time it was also kind of scary. "Yeah, sorry about that," he said, scratching the back of his head sheepishly, "If I had known what kind of Imperial Arms I was facing… Well, I might not have been able to do much about it, anyway."

Grabbing his arm, she started to lead him back to the hideout. "Well, you'll get to explain yourself properly once everyone else arrives," she said, smiling again as she changed back, "Although I don't expect Akame will let this one go easily." Flinching at the mention of the girl, he realized that it was a conversation he was definitely _not_ looking forward to. "I don't suppose there's any chance that you could talk to her for me, could you?" he asked, hoping to avoid a lecture.

"You sure that's a good idea?" she replied, smiling mischievously. As thoughts about what she could say crossed his mind, Haru sighed and shook his head. This caused Leone to laugh in triumph as they entered the building and made their way to the main hall. While Leone went and grabbed something to snack on, Haru walked over to one of the padded chairs before dropping into it. Closing his eyes and pinching the bridge of his nose, he tried to figure out a way he could explain what had happened without complicating things further. _Fat chance of that, smart guy_ his inner voice commented, causing him to snort in amusement.

As he sat there, Haru started to feel himself drifting off to sleep. However, his potential rest was interrupted when something smacked into his head, causing him to flinch and sit up. Rubbing where he had been hit, he opened his eyes to see Akame standing next to his chair with her hand still held out from the chop she had delivered and looking rather angry with him. "Hey, what's up?" he said, unable to come up with much else. In response, she just glared at him before reaching out and chopping his head again, causing him to flinch and rub his head again. "Hey, what was that for?" he asked before leaning back as she made to hit him again.

"Do you _enjoy_ running off like that?" she asked with barely contained anger. There weren't enough words in _any_ language to describe how worried she had been for him yesterday, or how angry she was with him right now. Part of her knew that he hadn't done it on purpose, but right now she was angry at him, so much so that it was taking all of her self-control not to start using _both_ hands. And it wasn't even really anger with him; she was angry with herself. If she had been with him, she might have been able to prevent this.

Before she could try and hit him again, Haru reached up and grabbed her wrist, stopping her. "Hey! Enough already, I get it," he said, his voice softening, "I'm alright, okay? So can you ease up on the abuse?" After he had released her arm, she lowered it along with her gaze. "I was worried about you," she said finally, sounding sad, "When Lubbock came back and told us what had happened… That you'd gone off alone right before some stranger showed up… We thought… I…"

Realizing what she was trying to say, he got up and walked around the chair before placing his hands on her shoulders. "I came back, didn't I?" he said, trying to cheer her up, "And I promise that I always will. This is my home now, after all." "This isn't even the same building," she protested, feeling tears starting to form in the corners of her eyes. "The place doesn't matter," he replied, smiling, "It's the people that make it a home." Without another word, he pulled her closer and wrapped his arms around her shoulders.

While she was surprised at the hug, it wasn't unwelcome. She reached out and embraced him in return, finally allowing herself to enjoy his presence. Leone, meanwhile, watched this all unfold from the doorway, smiling happily at the two. Before it could progress any further, Lubbock and Tatsumi burst into the room, Causing Haru to flinch and step back quickly. They pretended not to notice, too happy to see their friend back in one piece to tease him at the moment. The rest of Night Raid joined them shortly, but before anyone could really start asking him questions, Najenda stepped forward. "Haru, I need to speak with you," she said, motioning him aside, "In private."

Nodding, since he had expected something like this to happen, he followed her to a side room before sitting down at one of the tables. "Alright, from the beginning; what happened?" she asked, crossing her arms. He explained everything that he had gone through, from encountering Esdeath to getting transported to the island to getting back again. Najenda seemed especially interested in hearing about the new Imperial Arms. "You're sure you heard the name right?" she asked, just to make sure. "It was kind of hard to miss," Haru replied, "He didn't seem too concerned about keeping it hidden from us. Although that could be because it can only be activated by calling its name, I'm not really sure. Do you know of it?"

"No, I'm no," she said as she sat down, "I'll ask headquarters to try and find out more about this weapon. It doesn't bode well that so many powerful Imperial Arms are gathering together now." "Well, we haven't exactly made the 'people' running this nation feel comfortable and safe, now have we?" Haru asked her, smiling. She returned his grin before leaning back. "Now then, I take it you returning to us means that you've made your decision?" she asked, her smirk growing broader as he flinched. He had hoped that she would just accept it and move on. _Clearly not the case_ he thought, sighing.

"I'm committed to this cause," he said, "I'm going to help change this nation, and I can't do that if I allow myself to become Esdeath's…pet. As much as she may care for me, it won't change _who_ she is." Najenda nodded in agreement. She had reached the same conclusion over her former comrade a long time ago. But Haru was still a kind soul at heart, and it must have been difficult to admit there was nothing he could do for her. "And what of your other attachment to this place?" she asked, seeing right through his indifference act, "We both know that there was more drawing you back here than your commitment to the cause, as noble as it is. Did you tell her?"

"To be honest, I didn't have much time to say anything before everyone started showing up," he replied, grimacing, "Besides, she was right; if we tried to become something more, it would only cause us more problems in the long run." Sighing, Najenda stood up and smacked his head, hard, with her metal hand. "Take my advice, Haru," she said, leaning down so she was in his face, "You've already passed that point, both of you have. So man up and freaking _tell her_." Ignoring his look of utter shock, she turned and left the room. She knew a bit about people avoiding the issue because they _thought_ it was easier. She was still waiting to see when Lubbock would swallow whatever stubbornness was stopping him from acting.

 _Why do I keep getting hit_ he wondered as he rubbed his head. Shaking his head to clear it, Haru left the room and made for the kitchen. Despite what he and Esdeath had managed to gather on the island, he still found that he was rather hungry. However, the second he entered the room he was stopped in his tracks as he saw Akame on the other end of the room. She had her hair tied back in a long pony tail and had an apron tied around her waist, and for some reason he was suddenly struck with how beautiful she was. For a brief moment he was gripped with the urge to come clean now; to walk over and tell her how he felt. Turning on his heel quickly and silently, Haru left the room before those thoughts could take full form.

Heading up a few flights of stairs, he found himself at his new room. Dropping his cloak and weapons on a nearby chair, he walked over and laid down on his bed before he closed his eyes and tried to clear his head. _Damn fool_ he cursed himself, _you need to get a hold of yourself. You can't start a relationship now, not with what's coming_. Before he could actually fall asleep, a fluttering sound coming from his window grabbed his attention.

He sat up just as a small bird, a swallow, flew through the window. The bird did a slow circle around the room before landing on the bed next to Haru. Looking down at it in surprise, Haru reached out to stroke its neck when it disappeared in a puff of smoke. In its place sat a smirking Chelsea, causing Haru to jump and scoot back a little. "Damnit, don't do that!" he said after he had recovered. "Only when it's not any fun anymore," she replied, her smile growing broader, "You look troubled. Something wrong?"

"Nothing I care to talk about," he said, turning away. "Yeah, I can tell," Chelsea said, huffing, "So how about listening?" Turning to her and quirking an eyebrow in confusion, Haru waited for the red-head to go one. "What do you think about…Tatsumi?" she asked, looking down and twiddling her thumbs. Haru was at a loss for words; the question was so out of the blue that he had no idea how to respond. Then he actually started to pay attention and saw the slight color on her cheeks. "Ah… that's what this is," he said, understanding, "What did the moron do?"

This just caused her to turn a few shades darker, but she relented and explained his attempted prank two days ago in the bath house. While Haru was surprised at how well she had handled it, without resorting to dismemberment, he was even more stunned by what he heard next. "I can't really explain it; there's just something about the way he acts and talks," she said, looking up wistfully, "I just feel…warm inside, especially when we trained together and he praised me for my talents."

"Well, I could say that it's just his personality," Haru replied, "He may still be a little green and naïve, but in his heart he's a good person, through and through." Looking at her in confusion, he continued, "Can I ask why you came to me with this? Surely one of the other girls would have been a better choice." "While Tatsumi makes me feel… that, I feel comfortable around you, Haru," she said, turning to him and smiling, "You remind me a lot of my big brother." "You have a brother?" "I did," she said, looking sad, "He died a year ago to some sickness while I was away."

Looking down, Haru mumbled, "I'm sorry. I know what it's like to lose family." "I picked up bits and pieces from everyone here that you've been through some bad times," she said, sympathizing, "If you need to talk, I'm always available." "Thanks," he said, smiling as she stood up and left. Lying back down, he soon drifted off into a light nap, pleasant thoughts drifting through his head.

About two hours later, he was down in the main room with everyone else. Najenda had a map lying on the table before them showing the current state of the Empire. It also showed the various strongholds and cities around the capital, as well as the territory currently under the Revolution's control. "The time for the Revolution is nearly at hand," she began, looking at her gathered fighters and smiling, "It's been a long time coming, but now we are almost prepared to make our move." "You know, I've been thinking about this for a while," Haru said, looking at the map and the disposition of the various forces, "But how exactly are we going to take on the capital with what we have available?"

"What, you don't think we can do it?" Lubbock challenged, smiling. "Oh, I know that we'd all give it our best shot," Haru replied, smiling darkly, "I'm pretty sure I'd take a battalion or two with me. But my point is that for all of our skill, they outnumber us by almost 10 to 1." "That's true, but that's also why we're going to succeed," Najenda said, smiling as she started placing several more markers are various points, "The capital is only used to putting down local rebellions; groups that are working alone and with limited resources."

Pointing to a city in the east, she continued, "There's a religious group that's centered here called the Path of Peace, and they've gained a large following in the eastern territories. Once we're ready to move, they will cause an armed revolt throughout their area of influence. At the same time, we're going to have an allied tribe in the west launch an all-out assault on the various fortresses in that region. The clincher will be when our own forces launch their attack from the south."

"A three-point attack, huh?" Tatsumi said, examining the new deployments carefully, "But even with all of that, there will still be a lot of casualties." "We've accounted for that," Najenda said, tapping several key strongholds, "We've made arrangements with various viceroys and garrison commanders to surrender their keeps and defect to our side. These are men that have been demoted for taking their jobs seriously, so they had no problem agreeing to this. Our forces will advance with a speed they've never seen."

"Even with all of this, the capital's Commander-in-Chief, Budou, and his personal forces will still intercept us once we reach the capital itself," she continued, placing a rather imposing piece on the center of the map, "However, this will also cause them to draw men from the palace guard, leaving it with a relatively light defense. This will provide us with the perfect opportunity to infiltrate it and kill Onest." "At which point, we win!" Tatsumi exclaimed, his eyes lighting up. Haru just snorted, causing Tatsumi to look at him in surprise and annoyance. "What?" he asked, trying to keep his voice even.

"Even if we kill Onest, that won't be enough to truly secure victory," Haru said, unfolding his arms and pointing at the piece representing Budou, "People like this Budou aren't going to just roll over and surrender once the Prime Minister is dead. They're going to have to be dealt with, either before we kill Onest or immediately after. If they're allowed to slip away, they will just slowly build up their own revolt." While he was talking about Budou, those that knew Haru knew that he was talking about Esdeath. Najenda just grimaced as she watched him, seeing the conflict in his eyes that he was struggling not to show. He knew several of the people they would have to eliminate, and while he knew that it had to be done, he was far from happy about it.

"That brings us to our first real problem," Najenda said, pointing back to the eastern territories, "It's come to our attention that the advisory to Path of Peace's leader is actually a spy sent by the Minister. His name is Borick, and he seeks to undermine the leader's authority and replace him, thus preventing their revolt. This isn't something we can allow. There is also the issue of the Jaegers. They are still led by Esdeath, which makes them a part of the Minister's private forces. Weakening or eliminating them before the revolt would be ideal, so we've come up with a plan to lure them away from the capital and divide them."

"And just how do you plan to do that?" Haru asked, skeptical. "They came after me during a job yesterday," Chelsea told him, smiling slightly, "They weren't in time to stop me, or catch me in the act, but it was clear that they had inside information." "All of the new Danger Beasts have been eliminated," Najenda summarized as she pulled out a cigarette, "And all of the other disruptive groups have either been wiped out or gone into hiding. That leaves us as their primary focus. They're not going to ignore an opportunity to come after us."

Taking a long pull from her cigarette, Najenda prepared herself for Haru's reaction to what she was about to say next. "Headquarters has requested that we eliminate Bols and Kurome specifically," she said, looking straight at Haru, "So they will be our priority. Gather what you need, we're going to move out tomorrow morning." Seeing that he wasn't going to protest, she left the room. Once she had left, Haru braced his hands on the table and tried to gain control of his mind again. _They want me to kill Bols and Akame's sister_ he thought, trying to come to grips with the thought.

He hadn't interacted with the big man very much when he was with them, but what he had seen and heard led him to believe he was a kind soul. And as for Kurome; she was Akame's _sister_. To even think about killing a blood relative to someone he cared for was going too far. As he struggled with these thoughts, everyone filed out of the room to make their preparations, except for Akame. She could tell that he was torn, and could only imagine what he thought about being ordered to kill her sister. For her part, she had made peace with this outcome a long time ago, knowing that it would happen sooner or later.

While she wanted to comfort him, to tell him that she would take care of it so he did not have to, she couldn't bring herself to move. Meanwhile, a thought suddenly occurred to Haru, one that would bring him some measure of peace in all of this. "I have an errand to run," he said, getting up and walking away quickly, "I won't be long." "Do you want me to come with you?" she asked, moving to catch up with him. "No," he replied, "It's better if I do this alone. I'll be back in a few hours."

Grabbing his cloak and blindfold, he made his way out of the hideout and to the capital. After sneaking in through one of the side gates, he paused in an alleyway to make sure that his blindfold was secure before continuing on. It was strange to be using his blind beggar disguise again after spending so much time with his face uncovered, but he couldn't risk word getting back to Esdeath that he had been here. After a quick trip to Garrick's clinic and a rather heated discussion, he left with the old man's word that he would honor Haru's newest request. It was then a matter of finding his way to one of the upper districts without drawing too much attention.

It took him asking indirect questions for almost an hour before he found himself at the house he was searching for. And now that he stood on its front walkway he found that he was reluctant to approach the door, much less actually knock on it. _Oh, man up, Haru_ he chided himself as he started forward, _if you don't do this, you will agonize over this choice for the rest of your damned life_. Knocking on the door, Haru prayed that only the wife and daughter would be there. If he had to explain himself to Bols, then things would get complicated quickly.

Much to his relief, it was his wife that answered the door. She was a lovely woman, with long, light brown hair and purple eyes, and Haru could understand why Bols had been so stricken with her. While she looked confused as to why there was a blind man at her door, she smiled warmly as she said, "Is there something I can help you with?" "Yes, there is," Haru replied, trying to keep his voice level, "I need to talk with you about your husband. May I come in? It would be better if this wasn't discussed outdoors."

She nodded and stepped aside, opening the door further to allow him in. While he felt bad about this deception, he went through with it anyway as he walked inside. He waited until she had closed the door before turning to her and asking, "Is your daughter here?" "Yes, she is," she replied defensively, her look hardening slightly. "I'm sorry, I don't mean to sound threatening," Haru said, trying to ease her worries, "It's just I have questions about Bols, and I need both of your answers." "What is this about?" she asked.

Moving to one side, he gestured towards the living room while saying, "Please, this will go easier if you cooperate." To prove his point, he pulled his cloak aside to reveal his throwing knives. _That_ got her attention, and for a moment he thought she was about to call for help. "I promise you, I don't intend to harm you or your daughter," he said again as he walked ahead of her, "Now, please sit down."

Before she could try to respond or resist, her daughter walked into the room. "Mommy, was that Daddy coming home?" she asked before noticing Haru, "Who is this?" Like her mother, she was a beautiful little girl; she had short, blonde hair and blue eyes as well as one of the sweetest smiles he had ever seen. Kneeling down, he smiled warmly at her and said, "Hello, my name is Haru. I know we haven't met before, but I've heard about you from your father." "You know Daddy?" she asked, her face lighting up. "I sure do," he replied, "And he seems like a really nice guy." "He's the best Daddy in the world," she replied with a large smile before frowning and looking at him closer, "Why's your face wrapped up, mister Haru?"

Reaching up to touch the blindfold, he said, "I got in a bad fight a while back. I can still see just fine, but some people find my scars…disturbing. I'd rather not make people uncomfortable." "You sound just like my husband," the older woman answered as she walked over to her daughter, "Always insisting that he wear that silly mask." As she picked her daughter up, she looked at him again with obvious suspicion. "Are you going to tell me what this is about?" she asked again.

Sitting down on one of the couches, he motioned that they take the chair before saying, "I will in a moment. First, I thought it would be best that we introduce ourselves properly. I know your relation to Bols, but I don't know your names." "I am Michaele," she responded, "And this is our daughter, Tamera." Smiling as Tamera waved at him, Haru prepared himself for their reaction. "My name is Haru, and I used to work with your husband," he said, "But now, I've found myself under the employment of a group that has taken an…interest in him." "What kind of group?" Michaele asked. "Night Raid," Haru answered plainly.


	14. Chapter 14

Their expressions were both telling and interesting. Tamera looked confused, as if she knew that name but didn't know where she had heard it. Michaela, on the other hand, looked terrified, her mind undoubtedly drawing some kind of sinister conclusion as to why he was there. For his part, Haru just sat there silently, waiting for the inevitable response. "What do you want with us?" Michaela asked, her voice laced with worry, "If you're here to-"

Raising his hand, he stopped her right there before saying, "Again, I have no intention of harming either of you. Nor do I plan to kidnap you." Turning his attention to Tamera, he decided to explain it so they would both understand. "Your dad and I are in a tricky situation right now, Tamera," he said, trying to sound friendly, "As it is now, we're going to end up enemies." "Does that mean you're going to try and kill Daddy?" she asked, looking concerned. "Not if I can help it," Haru replied, smiling slightly, "That's why I'm here. If he's the kind of man I think he is, I will do everything I can to help him get through this alive."

"Why would you?" Michaela asked, sounding skeptical, "You're a member of Night Raid; an assassin. Why would you help your enemy?" "Because despite what the authorities have told you about us, I do have a conscience," he replied, letting a bit of steel creep into his voice before turning his attention back to Tamera, "So, what kind of man is your dad?" "He's an amazing one!" she replied, her face lighting up, "He's always cheerful and funny, and he always makes time to play with me when he comes home." "He doesn't raise his voice, and he always tries to make us happy," Michaela added, her gaze softening, "He isn't abusive, if that's what you mean."

"I never thought he was," Haru replied, leaning back, "If fact, he's pretty much how I thought. I just have one more question; do you know what he has done because of his job?" That question caused them both to pause, their eyes clouding over. _That's almost answer enough_ he thought as he watched them, concerned about what he would hear. "Yes, we know," Michaela replied, her voice soft and sad, "I know that he's had to do some terrible things because of his job as a soldier. And I know that it's inevitable that people like you would be sent after him."

After a moment, she seemed to find some inner strength. Looking up at him with conviction, she added, "But he's still a good man. He's only done those things because he had to. If he hadn't, then someone else would have." Those words more than anything helped Haru make up his mind. Getting up, he said, "Then he and I are more alike than I thought. Thank you, that's all I needed to know." "Hey, mister Haru, can I ask you a question now?" Tamera said, causing him to pause as he turned to leave. Smiling warmly, he nodded. "Can I see your scars?" she asked, looking sincere, "I promise I won't be scared by them."

Laughing softly, Haru replied, "Bols really did raise a brave little girl, didn't he? But are you sure? It's not something that most normal people find… acceptable." "Why is that?" Michaela asked, now curious, "What's so wrong with a few cuts around your eyes?" "You know about the Imperial Arms, right?" he asked, deciding to take a different approach, "Well, some of them need to be fused with their user to work properly." "So your eyes are your Imperial Arms?" Tamera asked, catching on quicker than he would have thought. Wiggling out of her mother's hold, she walked over to him before tugging on his pant leg. "I wanna see. Please, mister Haru?" she asked, her eyes brimming with curiosity.

Looking to her mother for approval, he saw that she was smiling warmly at them. _I can tell he's not a bad person_ she thought as she nodded. Taking a deep breath, Haru knelt down before reaching up and undoing the knot. As he lowered the blindfold and they saw his eyes, he watched as Tamera took a slight step back in surprise. For a moment, they were speechless and Haru was worried that he had made a mistake. "They're pretty!" Tamera said suddenly, walking up and looking closer, "It's like you're part dragon!"

Haru was surprised at her reaction, sure that she would have fled in fear. _But then, she is Bols' daughter, and he's no push over either_ he thought as he smiled. "Thank you, Tamera," he said as he got back up and put his blindfold back on, "I have to go now, but I hope to see you again." As he opened the door to leave, he turned back and addressed Michaela. "I will do what I can to make sure your husband comes back. If he does, I need you to trust him if he asks you to do something…unusual." While she was puzzled at this, she still nodded as he left. It was strange to meet the young man her husband had spoken about. He appeared to be someone that wished to be a kind person, but accepted that he there were certain evils that he had to do. _You really are so much like my husband_ she thought, smiling.

After leaving the house and making his way out of the city, Haru slowed his pace to give himself enough time to think. He hadn't seen or sensed any signs of deception or dishonesty from either of them, so it seemed that Haru's initial assumption about Bols was correct. Unfortunately, this left him in yet another uncomfortable situation where he would have to make a choice. Bols was a good man at heart, but he also had clearly accepted that his job was not a kind one and that he had done some terrible things. The fact that he had told his wife and daughter about it and they still loved and supported him despite that was incredible, but it also further complicated his choice.

 _I can either carry out headquarters' request and take someone they love from them, or I can refuse_ he thought, grimacing, _but even if I refuse to do it, someone else will do it anyway. It will most likely be Akame, believing she's sparing me from a painful decision_. While he could understand her desire to spare him pain, this wasn't something he could just pass along to someone else. After a while he found himself asking if Bols truly deserved to die, a question that Haru felt like he had a personal investment in. _And why wouldn't I? Both of us have committed crimes because it is what our job demanded of us. So, would it be justified if he was killed? If I was killed?_

Looking at it objectively, he could understand why people would feel justified in having someone like him killed. He was a monster, a murderer with blood on his hands. After all of the suffering and fear that he had brought, why shouldn't he die for his crimes? And yet, in spite of all of that there were people that cared for him. _And how would they feel if I died? Would they feel the same, or would the sorrow just continue?_ Sighing, he scratched his head in frustration, knowing full well what he would have to do but reluctant to admit it. _Screw it, if I allow this to happen I will never be able to face Tamera or her mother again._

By the time he had reached the hideout, he had decided on a tentative plan of action. It would depend greatly on what Najenda had planned to get Bols and Kurome separated from the rest of the Jaegers, but if he played his cards right then it just might work. Removing his blindfold as he walked through the main entrance, he was forced to plug his ears as Tatsumi and Mine were in the middle of a rather heated argument. "For the last time, I didn't take your freaking cake!" Tatsumi said, gritting his teeth and pointing at her, "Stop making unfounded accusations!" "I saw you eating it, idiot!" she replied with just as much volume as she brought Pumpkin up, "Stop trying to deny it and accept your punishment!"

With a yelp, Tatsumi jumped to the side just as Mine fired. Thankfully the gun was on its lowest setting, so it only put a small crater into the wall instead of blowing it out completely. Sighing, Haru stepped between the two as Tatsumi rushed past, bringing his hand out and grabbing Pumpkin's barrel. "I don't know how many times you're going to fall for the same tricks, half-pint," he said, ignoring her glare, "You do remember that we have a master of disguise here, right?"

This seemed to be something she hadn't considered, and she rounded on Chelsea who looked surprised that he had figured it out so soon. "Haru, you're no fun," she said, pouting, "You could have at least let them fight a bit longer." "I've seen what happens when Mine gets worked up," he replied as he walked past a stammering Mine, "I'd like the building to remain intact, thank you." She just stuck her tongue out at him in response before she was forced to flee as Mine had finally regained her composure. He smiled lightly as he heard Mine yelling after the girl to just hold still, that she would make it painless. Dropping down onto one of the couches, Haru unclipped his cloak before bundling it up as a pillow and stretching out.

Before he could really drift off into sleep, he felt the light on his face change and there was just the slightest feeling of warmth. Opening his eyes, Haru tried not to jump as he saw Akame's face inches above his own. She was leaning over the back of the couch, looking at him curiously. "So, what did you have to do in the capital?" she asked, trying not to show how being this close to him was affecting her. "What makes you think I was in the capital?" he responded, trying to keep his voice level. He was also having a bitch of a time keeping his cheeks from turning red. He could see every detail in her dark red eyes, and it was breath taking. _Damnit, Leone probably put her up to this_ he thought as he gulped.

As it turns out, that is exactly what it was. Leone had suggested it as a way to put him off-balance, and it looked like it was working. "You still have your blindfold with you," she said, pointing at his pocket. _Damnit_ he thought as he sighed. "It was just some personal business, okay?" he said, trying to close the matter, "Care to tell me why you're hovering over me?" "I'm sorry, am I making you uncomfortable?" she asked in a teasing tone, leaning a bit closer. While he had been gone, Leone had also decided to teach Akame a few of her tricks for teasing men. While she kept her face impassive, on the inside Akame couldn't help but feel pleased as Haru finally got some color on his face from her actions.

"You come much closer," Haru managed, trying to maintain his self-control, "And we both may end up regretting it." "Oh, and what is it I will regret?" she asked, deciding to push her luck. At this point she was close enough that he could feel her breath, and it was taking every scrap of his self-control to not do what his heart was screaming at him to do. Rather than let this situation continue, Haru reached up and lightly flicked the side of her head. "Ow," she said, leaning back and rubbing her temple. This gave him the perfect opportunity to sit up and rob her of a chance to pin him down again. _Damn you, Leone_ he thought as he took a few breaths to steady his pounding heart, _you're going to pay for this._

The moment he sat up, Akame felt annoyed that he had escaped so easily. Truth be told, she actually enjoyed the way he had reacted to her teasing, and she made a note to try it more often in the future. _No wonder Leone teased Tatsumi so much_ she thought, smirking as she came around and sat down next to Haru. "So, are you going to tell me what you were up to?" she asked, leaning closer, "Or do I need to get Leone in here to get you to talk?" Deciding he would have better luck with at least part of the truth, he replied, "I needed to ask a friend of mine about these boosters I have. I'm still not sure what kind of side-effects they have on the user, especially if I have to use several at once."

"Why would you need something like that, anyway?" Akame asked, "Can't you just get stronger through training like the rest of us?" In truth, it had been something that had been bothering her for a while now. He was using a drug to achieve something rather than working for it, and that felt too much like what she had seen while in the Empire's service. "It's not the same thing," he replied, looking down in shame, "For the rest of you, it's a matter of needing to build up your physical strength and mental fortitude. You need to learn new techniques and work on mastering old ones better."

Holding his hand out, he manifested a small flame in his palm as he continued. "That's not the case for me," he said, almost sounding ashamed, "My power draws on my physical strength, sure, but it also takes a mental and emotional drain like you wouldn't believe. Why do you think I sleep so much? Even manifesting this much fire is almost as taxing as a full workout." Hearing this, Akame looked closer at him and saw the subtle signs of strain. His eyes were incredibly focused, and she could tell that he was also starting to breathe deeper than normal, almost like he was starting to feel winded. "And you have to do this every time you're in a fight?" she asked.

"Yeah," he replied, smirking, "I may be able to use my fire four or five times now thanks to my training, but if I am forced to go that far I'm just a punching bag later. That's why I need those boosters. It may be a totally artificial strength, but it's enough to keep me on my feet until either my enemy is dead or I can escape." Snuffing the flame out, he breathed easier as he sat back. Glancing over at her, he could see the concern for him in her eyes and it was touching. "Trust me, this isn't something you would want to possess," he said, cracking a genuine smile, "And all this makes me nervous as all hell about fighting Esdeath."

"Because you know what it takes to do what she does," Akame surmised, gaining a new appreciation for the woman, "To be able to create so much ice at a whim, and then to be able to fight as ferociously as she does. That takes a lot of strength." "So much so that I'm not sure we could take her," Haru replied, sighing, "At least, not without some crazy-stupid risks." "So, what did you have planned for the rest of the day?" she asked, changing the subject. "You mean besides trying to sleep?" he responded, smiling as she shot him a glare, "I don't really have anything planned. Why, did you need my help on something?" "Actually, I was wondering if we could…talk?" she asked, looking a little embarrassed.

"About what?" Haru asked, smiling at her and leaning back. "I noticed a…picture, the one that you have by your bed," she said, fidgeting, "And…well, I've been wondering…" The moment she mentioned the picture, she could feel Haru tense up and thought that she may have just crossed a line that she shouldn't have. "It's…" he began, sitting up and scratching his head, "Well, it's just a family photo from a few years back. Nothing special." "So, you have it to remember your family?" she asked, looking at him. When he nodded, she continued, "So, when do you plan on seeing them again? I assume you're sending money along to them like Tatsumi is to...his…"

She noticed his eyes cloud over the moment she mentioned seeing them again. _What did I just do_ she wondered as she said, "Haru, are you okay?" Turning away, he struggled to burry those emotions back where they belonged while also trying not to give Akame the wrong impression. He was also kicking himself, since the only two that knew about what happened were Tatsumi and Mine. "I'm fine," he managed, his voice still a little thick with emotion, "To answer your question… I don't expect to see them again for a while." Leaning closer, she placed her hand on one of his, trying to understand what she had said to cause such a reaction. "What is it, Haru?" she asked, trying to project more authority, "What's wrong?" "It's nothing," he said, deciding to try and change the subject, "Can I ask you something now?" When she nodded, he asked, "What's up with you and your sister?"

If he had been looking for the same reaction that he had to her question, he got it as Akame looked down. "It's…" she began, trying to find the right words, "When I left to join Night Raid, I tried to get her to come with me. But, she was loyal to the Empire. She probably regards me as a traitor, and I'm sure she wants to kill me herself." "Well, it probably doesn't help to know that you're right," Haru said, felling horrible for the position she was in, "I talked with her briefly about…that, and she pretty much said the same thing. Although, I was amazed at how much you look alike. It was kind of cute, actually, like there was a younger you there." While she appreciated his attempt to lighten the mood, it didn't help too much. Still, she looked up and tried to smile.

Finally unable to take how serious it had gotten, he got up and said, "Hey, how about we take a walk? You know, get some fresh air." Nodding, Akame got up and followed him out the door before taking a deep breath. "It may not be the same place as before," she said as they walked down one of the paths, "But it still feels like…" "Home," Haru finished for her, causing them both to smile, "So, what do you plan to do after we win this thing?" "So now you're sure we're going to win?" she asked, unable to resist the urge to tease him. "Hey, we're powerful enough as it is," he said, projecting confidence, "With an entire tribe backing us, as well as a whole religion, I think we're going to win this without a sweat."

Akame just laughed softly at his boasting. Of course, neither of them believed it would be that easy. Haru was just acting tough, trying to boost their spirits and give them something to laugh about. "Well… I'm not really sure," she admitted, her look turning sad, "I've only ever really known this. I'm not sure I can just settle into a normal life. What about you?" Scratching the back of his head, Haru tried to come up with an answer. "To be honest, I haven't really thought about it," he admitted, smiling sheepishly, "I guess I'd spend some time traveling around. I haven't seen much of anything beyond some places down south and the areas around the capital." "Oh, is that so?" Akame asked, "I would have thought you would have done a lot of traveling while working with the Revolution."

"Not really. Before I got my Imperial Arms, I mainly got stuck with guard duty," he said, "Apparently; they had a powerful need to protect their early supply caches. But, thanks to that I got to meet…" He stopped at that, knowing full well where he had been going and regretting saying even that much. "Got to meet who?" she asked, curious now that he had stopped. "I… You don't really know much about my time before Night Raid, do you?" he asked, trying to figure out how to word this. When she shook her head, he continued, "I got to know one of the operatives that frequented the cache I guarded. She was… one of the most spirited and driven people I've ever met."

He didn't even need to look at her to know that Akame's spirits fell hearing him talk about another woman. But, he knew that this would come out sooner or later, and it was probably best that she heard it from him. "Her name was June, and we quickly became good friends," he said, "When I left to join Night Raid, she was opposed to it, saying that assassins should never be needed and that I was turning into the same thing I was trying to destroy. She really had the whole 'honorable warrior' mentality down, and was very outspoken about her beliefs. Still, we parted on good terms, so I guess that counts for something." "Yeah…" Akame said, looking down and away. _Why does it hurt to hear him talking about another woman_ she wondered. _Of course it hurts_ her inner voice chided, _you're in love with him, and he was close to someone else._

"If it makes you feel any better, we aren't close…in that way," Haru added, knowing full well what had taken the wind out of her sails, "We're just friends." They walked on in silence for a little while after that, and Haru regretted bringing June up at all. "Well, to finish answering your question," he said, trying to rekindle the conversation, "I was thinking about starting up a little weapon shop. I could even forge my own, once I learn how, that is." "That would be an interesting living," Akame said, enjoying the change, "I would like to see what kinds of swords you would produce." "Well, if you ask nicely I might put you in charge of quality control," he added, smiling at her. She returned it, and in that moment Haru felt a connection beginning to form.

Realizing what was happening, they both broke eye contact with Haru clearing his throat. _Damnit, how can she affect me so easily_ Haru wondered, smacking himself for being so stupid. Meanwhile, Akame was briefly admiring how such a simple offer could make her heart skip a beat. _He almost asked to live together_ she realized before she reached down and pinched herself, _get a grip; now's not the time to become a love-sick puppy_. "We should probably head back and get some rest," she suggested, turning around. Haru just nodded in agreement, not trusting himself not to say something stupid.

When they returned to the hideout, it was to a slightly disappointed look from Leone. She had been hopeful that they would finally swallow their pride and confess to each other. But judging from the fact that they separated after entering the building, they clearly hadn't. Sighing, Leone decided that it was time to have a talk with Haru. _Man, being the big sister can be a real pain_ she thought as she walked up to his room.

Meanwhile, Haru was on his back on his bed, trying to finally gain control over his rampant emotions. _We agreed not to go there_ he kept repeating, trying to reason with them, _we don't want to cause each other pain; so for the love of God, stop acting up when I'm near her, damnit_. Hearing a knock at his door, Haru sat up just as Leone decided to let herself in. "You know I could have been doing anything in here, right?" he asked, a little annoyed at her actions. "I know," Leone replied, smiling sweetly, "It would just give me something fun to talk about later. So, what's up with you two?" "You're going to have to give me more than that," Haru said, already dreading where this was heading.

"It's been almost two months now, Haru," Leone said, sitting on the edge of the bed and looking serious, "You two have all but confessed your feelings, and don't pretend you don't know how she feels about you. So, why are you still hesitating?" Looking down, Haru tried to come up with an answer that wasn't just an outright lie. He knew full well how Leone would react to that, and he wanted to sleep without bruises. "Besides the fact that we don't want to hurt each other?" he said, looking up, "I guess it's because it's _me_ she's falling for, and not someone else."

Quirking an eyebrow at that, Leone waited for him to continue. "I'm…not human anymore, Leone," he said, trying to keep his emotions in check, "So, how could anyone be happy with a half-breed like me? Honestly, now that I think about it, it would probably be better if she fell in love with someone else." "Better for who?" Leone asked, unable to keep the frustration out of her voice as she got up, "For her? I can tell you right now that pushing her away will only leave her with a broken heart. So, you must mean better for you. Is that what you are, Haru; a coward that pushes everyone away because it's easier?"

He wasn't able to meet her gaze after that, feeling like dirt because part of him felt she was right. "I…don't deserve her love, Leone," he said, finally giving voice to those thoughts, "She deserves someone better than me; someone that won't just bring her more pain and misery." Finally getting fed up with his self-defeating talk, Leone brought her hand up and punched him, hard. "Is that how you see yourself? Just some bad luck charm that brings pain?!" she demanded, absolutely furious with him now, "You know, Akame told me that you didn't consider yourself human, but I didn't think you were this stupid! Why don't you get down off your cross and realize that people actually care about you?"

"It's easy for you to say that!" Haru shot back, getting up and just as mad, "You didn't have to watch your home get destroyed by Danger Beasts! You didn't have to become what you despise just to get stronger! So don't lecture me on stupidity, I already know I'm an idiot! But this is what I had to do, and I won't let it hurt anyone else, especially Akame." "So, you think that just being with you would hurt her?" "I know it would! Look at me, Leone; I'm a god-damned half-breed!" he answered, "I've seen the kind of reaction people have to things like me, and I won't expose her to more pain. I care about her too much for that."

"So, that's it; you think you're protecting her by pushing her away?" Leone asked, unable to believe this was coming out of Haru's mouth, "And what about the rest of us? Are you just going to slink away when this is all done?" "Provided I survive, that's exactly what I'm going to do," Haru said, turning away, "It's better for everyone if monsters like me just disappear. And there's nothing you can say or do that's going to change my mind on this." "The hell there isn't," Leone replied, activating her Imperial Arms. Turning around, Haru was about to fire off another reply when he saw a lion's paw coming straight at his face.


	15. Chapter 15

Out in the practice yard, Tatsumi, Susanoo and Lubbock were sparring with each other in a three-way hand-to-hand battle. In an effort to make it relatively fair for the other two, since they weren't using Imperial Arms, Susanoo pulled some of his punches and focused mainly on defense. However, even without their weapons those two were still strong fighters and he didn't have to hold back too badly. Their match was cut short, however, when they heard a crash above their heads. Tatsumi had just enough time to look up and see debris heading straight for him before he leaped clear. As the debris crashed down where he had been standing, he brought one arm up to ward off the glass pieces that were flying everywhere.

A second crash soon followed, and this time they saw a streak of yellow diving straight for the first pile. Just as it was about to impact, someone leaped out of the pile and moved well back. Neither Lubbock nor Tatsumi had enough time to see who it was before the streak landed, creating a rather large crater and sending debris flying everywhere. When the dust finally settled, it revealed Leone in the middle of the crater she had made and Haru standing well back, looking cautious and pissed off.

Rather than talk with her, Haru just stood there and prepared himself for her next move. He had been lucky to dodge her blows in such a confined space. While his room wasn't really that small, it sure felt that way when someone like Leone was seriously trying to hit you. However, it didn't look like her frustration had burned itself out just yet. And sure enough, at some unknown signal she charged him again with a growl. Sidestepping the blow aimed at his head, Haru didn't see her knee coming up until it was too late. While it didn't break or rupture anything, it freaking _hurt_ and sent him into the wall.

Bracing his hands on the wall to keep himself from sliding down, he had just enough time to register her fist coming for his head again before he ducked to the side. He heard a crash from the impact and could only imagine the hole she had made as he tried to get clear of her. "For crying out loud, Leone! Are you trying to kill me?" he asked as she turned to him again. "Maybe I am," she said, getting ready to attack, "You only have yourself to blame for this, Haru." "What in the hell did I do to deserve this?" Haru asked before he was forced to leap clear of another blow. "I just thought it was about time I tried beating some sense into you," she responded as she continued to throw punches and swipes, "You don't seem willing to accept the truth any other way, so I hope you're ready for some pain!"

"Only if you're ready for some in return. Zündung!" Haru replied as he continued to dodge her blows. At his command, he created fire around his right fist before bracing himself and throwing a punch of his own. She met it with her own fist, and the impact was loud as his fire exploded against her raw strength. While this didn't do much more than singe the fur on her paw, it did give him enough of a buffer so his hand wasn't pulverized on impact. Repeating the process, he surrounded his other hand in fire before fighting back. This just seemed to drive Leone to try harder as she held back less of her strength now that he could take more.

Watching these two fighting, Tatsumi, Lubbock and Susanoo were torn on what to do. On the one hand they wanted to stop the fight before one of them got seriously hurt, but they could also tell that this was a personal matter. "What should we do?" Tatsumi asked, trying to figure out what was wrong. After a bit of thought, Lubbock replied, "We do nothing." "What? But she could kill him," Tatsumi replied, looking at his friend. "Leone has more control than that," Lubbock said, crossing his arms, "I would guess she has a good reason for doing this, and I wouldn't want to interfere. If you want to step between two masters of destruction, then go ahead." Tatsumi just gulped as he imagined himself being pulverized or burned up.

Meanwhile, Haru had been doing fairly well in his fight with Leone. He had figured out by now that she was holding back so she didn't actually kill him, but it wasn't by much. He was sure that the moment he slipped up and gave her an opening, he would feel some kind of impact that would send him flying across the yard. _Can't disengage or she'll use that to push me back further. I also can't really push back without risking serious injury. So, I guess I'm stuck in a stale-mate_. Deflecting another punch, Haru returned it with a blow of his own only to have Leone catch his fist. At that point, he realized he had fucked up when her grip tightened. "Got you know," she said, her eyes all predatory glee.

Twisting around, she locked her arms around his forearm and flipped him over her shoulder. Haru landed on his back, winded and briefly seeing stars before Leone was standing over him. "Have I beaten the dumbass out of you yet?" she asked as she brought her fist down again. Rolling to the side, Haru placed a hand on the ground and whispered, "thýella." He was quickly surrounded by a ring of fire that he expanded rapidly, forcing Leone to get clear or get burned up. Now that she had been forced back, Haru got up and dusted himself off, still angry with her insistence.

"No, you haven't changed my mind," he replied, "And you're not going to. I'm sorry, Leone, I really am. But this is something you can't fix." Turning back to the building, Haru let the fire go out as he walked back inside. For a moment, Leone considered pressing the issue further and attacking again. But she had seen the look in his eyes, and she could tell that he wasn't going to change his mind over this. After he had walked through the door, Tatsumi and Lubbock walked over only to yelp when Leone growled in frustration and punched another hole into the wall. "That idiot," she muttered, still pissed off.

Walking back to his room, Haru quickly gathered his things before making his way down the hall to one of the empty room. Same kind of set up, minus the two holes in the previous room, for which he was thankful. "I should have just kept my mouth shut," he mumbled as he put his stuff away in the new room. That done, he flopped onto the bed and tried to get some sleep, completely wiped out. He was exhausted after using so much fire and the partial attempt on his life. He was also struggling to regain control over his raging mind, since her attack had caused his previous convictions to be, once again, called into question. _I really need a distraction_ he thought as he drifted off to sleep.

The next morning, they executed their plan to lure the Jaegers out. As it turns out, Najenda's idea was to have Mine and Akame intentionally blow their cover in one of the nearby towns. They would then meet up with Najenda, publicly, and make their way south at a reasonable pace. It wasn't a bad plan, honestly, since all three women were notorious in the capital. Even though that would only be a problem in and around the capital itself, it was inevitable that people loyal to it would report them.

Sure enough, almost a day later they got word from the spies near one of the gates that the Jaegers had left the city and were heading straight for them. "They noticed us a lot faster than I thought they would," Haru commented. They had stopped at a lake a few miles from the most recent town they had stopped in, and the girls had decided to take the time to go swimming. Well, to be more accurate, Leone and Chelsea decided to go swimming. Sheele was too nervous to change outside, while Mine and Akame had to keep their distance from everyone else to avoid blowing the whole thing.

"Well, those two made it pretty obvious," Lubbock replied from his chair, stretching and yawning, "They'd have to be blind not to notice them." "So, how are we going to separate them?" Tatsumi asked, "The boss doesn't expect us to take them all at once, does she?" "What, you don't think you could do it?" Haru asked. "Of course I could!" Tatsumi boasted, "In fact, I bet that I could take them alone." "In your dreams, newbie," Haru said, laughing when Tatsumi shot him a glare, "Actually, I'm not quite sure how she plans to get them to split. Let's just hope that they split in the way we want them to."

"Well, it's too bad you're missing out on seeing Akame in a swim suit," Lubbock said, changing the topic and causing Haru to flinch. "I don't understand why that's important," Susanoo said, looking between the two. "Don't worry, big man, you will soon enough," Lubbock replied, patting his arm. Deciding to remain silent, Haru shifted into a more comfortable position and closed his eyes. He also worked to tune out the outside noise, especially when Leone and Chelsea decided to tease Tatsumi. At which point he began going over his own plans and tried to refine them a bit more. _I can't risk asking for help_ he thought, scowling, _they're just as likely to try to stop me as they are to help me, friends or not_.

While it was frustrating to admit, he would just have to wait and see how things played out. If he was lucky, then the group they isolated wouldn't include Bols at all. _But what about Kurome_ he wondered, feeling his frustration starting to peak. If he was uncomfortable letting Bols get killed, then he was outright opposed to the idea of killing Kurome. To him, it didn't matter what she had done in the past; she was still Akame's sister, and he would have a very hard time just standing by while she got executed. _Which means I may have to step in on her behalf, too_ he realized, trying to remain calm. This was getting more complicated the more he thought about it, and it was starting to make his head hurt. That is, until he was suddenly drenched in water.

Gasping, his eyes shot open to reveal a laughing Leone as she bent down to splash more water. "You need to stop looking so serious, Haru!" she said as she splashed him again. "Yeah, that scowl isn't attractive at all!" Chelsea added, laughing as he sighed in frustration. "Okay, now you're asking for it," he said as he walked over to the shore. Channeling his power into his boot, he kicked a bit of water back at her and smiled as Leone yelped and jumped back. "Hey, that's hot!" she said, trying to look mad. "Well, of course it is. I'm a fire-wielder, remember?" he replied, grinning. Needless to say, she didn't take that lying down. The next hours was spent seeing which of them could withstand more, and their laughter echoed off the trees and rocks.

A while later, they were dried off, changed and back on the road. The next morning, they came to the place where they would be able to set their trap. Najenda and Chelsea, disguised as Mine, had broken off from their group a little way back and had gone a different way, while Akame had continued on with the rest of Night Raid shadowing her from the trees. Now they were on a canyon road, and Haru was helping Susanoo set up his part of the distraction. How Najenda had come up with this idea, he didn't know, but he admired the…creativity of it as he turned the big man into a large scarecrow.

"I can't believe she actually expects this to work," Haru mumbled as he worked. Leone just grinned as she helped Susanoo put the head on. Their distraction completed, they all made their way to cover behind the nearby trees and rocks. Lubbock fell way back and spread out his wire net, taking up his position to monitor the area. Crouching behind his rock, Haru loosened his sword in its sheath and settled in to wait. They had purposely slowed their pace to give the Jaegers time to catch up, so if they decided to split and go after both parties then someone would arrive within the next hour or two.

Sure enough, almost an hour later they got the signal from Lubbock that several people were approaching their position; three to be precise. _Okay, its show time_ Haru thought as he prepared to move. Not too long after Lubbock warned them, he heard the approach of three horses at a steady gallop. And just as they had planned, the appearance of a random scarecrow brought them to a halt to investigate. Taking a deep breath, he tried to steady his nerves as he waited for the signal.

Almost five seconds after they had stopped, he heard the crack of Pumpkin firing. That was their signal to move, and he could imagine how it looked when Susanoo burst from the scarecrow and charged them. "Kurome!" he heard as he moved, the voice unmistakably Wave's. Haru rounded his rock just as he was sent flying by the larger man, and he saw that their plan had actually worked flawlessly. With Wave out of the picture, they were now facing Kurome and Bols, both of which looked surprised at the ambush as well as when all of Night Raid (minus Chelsea, Lubbock and Mine) came out and faced off with them.

"Well, it's fortunate that we got the bystander out of the way first," Najenda said, "Bols, Kurome, you are our targets in the Jaegers today. I hope you're prepared." Haru didn't miss how they both glanced at him, and he couldn't help but feel like dirt as he brought his sword out. Bols seemed to be the most troubled by it, with Kurome quickly focusing her attention on Akame. "I'm glad you decided to face me rather than run away," she said as she brought her scabbard up, "I was hoping to see you again, so that I could add you to Yatsufusa's collection." "And just what the hell does that mean?" Haru asked. He regretted it a moment later.

Bringing her sword out, Kurome held it over her head and smiled as a sphere of black energy formed at its tip. The ground suddenly began to quake, and he saw several hands burst up behind her. This wasn't nearly as surprising as when a massive skeleton hand emerged from the ground underneath her, lifting her up as the rest of the beast emerged. The creature was massive; easily one of the largest Danger Beasts Haru had ever seen. The fact that it was a skeleton didn't diminish the shock as it stared at them.

"As you can see, I'm much stronger than I used to be," Kurome told them, still smiling, "I can make the body of any creature my puppet now, even if it's a Ultra-class Danger Beast." Pointing her free hand at them, she commanded, "Destaghoul, scatter them!" Opening its jaw, the dragon prepared its attack while the others just stared at her in shock. "She can use something like that?!" Tatsumi asked, trembling slightly even in his armor, "How are we supposed to fight that?" "Start by dodging, newbie!" Haru said as he dashed over and grabbed Akame's wrist. This seemed to shake them all out of their trance as everyone dashed for cover.

Almost two seconds after they began to move, Destaghoul fired off a massive blast from its mouth and pulverized the area where they had stood. Haru and Akame had managed to dash down a side passage in the cliffs, and they cringed as the wind roared past them from the blast. He hadn't had enough time to see if the others had gotten clear in time, but he prayed that they had. "That's one impressive sword to be able to control a monster like that," he said as the wind subsided. "It's impressive to me, too," Akame said as she looked out into the dust cloud, "It wasn't too long ago when controlling a normal Danger Beast was difficult for her."

As the dust had settled, they ventured out and Haru marveled at the crater. He didn't have much time before Bols walked out of the clouds and squared off with them. "Esdeath had told us you had rejected her offer," he said, bringing the business end of his flame thrower out, "But I didn't think you would stoop so low as to resort to black mail." "What are you talking about?" "You went to my home," Bols said, his voice growing cold, "You met with my family. Even if you didn't do anything, that's warning enough. I thought you were a decent person, but clearly I was wrong."

Before Haru could respond, Bols fired. The flames moved quickly, and Haru could feel their strength even at a distance. Moving in front of Akame, he brought his hand up and focused. As the fire hit his palm, he directed it around them in a wide dome. The attack neutralized, Akame moved through the smoke from the blast and leaped at Bols only to be blocked by a bald man. Her blade hit home, slicing into his forearms, but instead of going down from the poison he just stood in front of Bols and brought out the shield he had strapped to his back.

As Kurome talked about her various puppets, Haru toned out all of their descriptions except for the one in front of him. _So, he's a former body guard. That should mean he's only specialized in defense_ Haru reasoned as they stared at each other. "Why, Haru?" Bols asked, "Why would you side with them?" "You know why I chose Night Raid," Haru replied, "Don't act like you haven't seen the evil the Empire has committed. I refuse to be a part of that." "Oh, I know very well what has been done," Bols said, looking down, "I can't say I agree with it, but it is what my job requires of me. I know people would hate me for it, but if it wasn't by me then it would have been another. I accepted a long time ago that someone would try to kill me for it."

"Then I won't feel bad about the next few minutes," Haru said, charging. The body guard was right in his way, however, and his sword just rebounded off the shield. Determined to keep his attention, Haru sent a flurry of attacks at the man, forcing him to remain on the defensive. Using that distraction, Akame moved around him and came at Bols again. He was quicker than she thought, however, and she was forced to dodge another blast of fire before she could get close enough. Leaping back from the body guard, Haru decided to take a different approach. "Akame, switch!" he said as he moved to get past the guard.

She took his meaning and moved to stop him while Haru made for Bols. "I see," Bols said, as he prepared to fire again, "Not a bad strategy. Let's see how well it will work!" Instead of firing directly at Haru, he fired at the ground and spread the fire out into a massive carpet. "Sorry, Bols, but that won't work!" Haru replied as he dashed into the flames. Manipulating his own powers, Haru created a shield against the heat as he moved through the fire. Bols clearly wasn't prepared for this, but the body guard somehow was. Deflecting Akame's latest strike, he turned around and pointed the shield at Haru, firing off several knives from a hidden compartment.

Haru was forced to break off his charge as he turned and deflected the knives. This gave Bols an opening as he prepared to fire at Haru. Using the momentum of his turn, Haru grabbed one of his own knives and whipped back around, crying, "zündung!" Throwing the charged blade, he cursed his rushed aim as the blade flew wide of his mark. Its explosion, however, was enough to throw Bols' aim, causing his blast to miss Haru by inches.

Planting one of his hands on the ground, Haru fed his own power into the diminishing carpet of fire and caused it to grow larger. Bols clearly wasn't prepared for this as he took a step backwards. Freed from Akame, the body guard moved back to protect Bols while Haru gathered the fire around himself. He condensed the energy and let it crawl up his left arm before standing up again, imagining how he must look with an arm on fire. "Thanks for the power, Bols," he said as he pointed that arm at them, "But let me show you why fighting fire with fire is so dangerous. Thýella!"

At his command, the fire leaped from his arm and shot back at the two men. The body guard braced himself for the impact, but Haru knew that under normal circumstances there was no defending against an attack like this. Thankfully for them, he wasn't trying to kill them outright. Instead, he spread the flames out wider, reducing their power on impact. The blast was still rather larger, and convincing enough to anyone that didn't know the full nature of his powers. Unfortunately, Akame was one such person, although she seemed more focused on the battle than whether he was holding back or not.

Still, she seemed surprised when the two men emerged from the blast in one piece, and she briefly glanced at Haru in confusion before her attention returned to their opponents. "Was that all you can manage?" Bols asked, "I got the impression you were much stronger than that." "Well, to be honest, I do have a technique that could blow you both away," Haru admitted, smiling coldly, "But I'd rather not be rendered useless."

Their conversation was cut short by a large explosion behind them, and Haru risked a glance back to see what had happened. He saw what looked like a buffer, flashier version of Susanoo battling against the Destaghoul, and he hoped the big man could handle it. He also heard the unmistakable sound of gunshots in the distance, as well as several other crashes from what was probably Tatsumi's battle. "So, are we going to finish this?" Akame asked, bringing her sword up, "Or are you going to keep hesitating?" "No, I think I got that out of my system now," Haru replied as he summoned fire around his sword blade, "Let's finish this." _Hopefully, in the way I intend_.

Moving together, Haru and Akame charged straight for the body guard. She went high and he went low, giving him little chance to stop them both. To his credit, he tried. Bringing his shield up to block Akame, he tried to use his other arm to grab Haru's wrist and stop his attack. While Akame's blade was stopped, Haru shifted his attack and let the fire rush down the blade and onto his hand. Shifting his sword to his left hand, he brought his right one up and punched it into the guard's palm, sending the fire up the man's arm.

It worked quickly as it ate through his clothing and flesh. Because of his nature as a puppet, he didn't scream or flail around as others would have. However, it didn't matter as Haru backed off while feeding it more energy. Given enough time, it would consume the man and leave him useless. "Your guard is out of the picture now, Bols," Haru said, turning to the man, "And you know your attacks are useless against me. So, what will you do?" Looking between the two, Bols weighed his options carefully.

"I guess I have no choice, then," he said, reaching up and unclipping the straps holding the turbine to his back. _What the heck is he doing_ Haru wondered. There was no way he was going to try and surrender, he was too smart to assume he could. Instead, he grabbed the thing and threw it into the air before bringing out a remote trigger. "Wait, you're not-?" Haru began before he realized that this guy wasn't bluffing, "Akame, get down!"

There was no way he was going to move fast enough to defend them both from the blast. He would just have to hope she would get to safety in time. As Bols hit the trigger, the last thing Haru saw before the explosion blinded him was Leone grabbing the shield from the guard and moving in front of Akame. At which point, he was forced to focus his power to create a shield as the blast tried to consume him. The sound was intense, to the point where he felt it in his bones as he struggled to keep his footing and his shield of fire up.

Finally, after what felt like an hour, the blast subsided and Haru collapsed to his knees, panting. The moment it fully registered that he was, in fact, still alive, he had the urge to rush over and make sure Akame was okay. But then he remembered seeing Leone, as well as his own mission in all of this. _Bols would have used that as a gambit to escape_ Haru thought as he forced himself onto his feet, _I have to find him before the others do_. Moving off down the one path he would have used for escape, Haru focused the last of his power into keeping himself standing and alert.

After a while, he heard the sound of crying not too far off, followed by the sound of Bols' voice. _There aren't any children around here_ he thought as he moved faster. As he burst through into the clearing, he watched as Bols was kneeling down to hug a small girl, and it all clicked. Walking forward calmly, he said, "On your feet, Bols." Haru's tone was pure steel, and Bols visibly stiffened as he stood up and turned to face him. Even with his mask on, Haru could tell that he was struggling to keep up a brave face. Without breaking eye contact, Haru said, "Thank you for distracting him, Chelsea. I will take it from here."

The girl stared at him in shock before standing up and changing back into a clearly ticked-off Chelsea. "I could have handled this alone, Haru," she said, puffing her cheeks out in annoyance. "I know, and that's what I'm afraid of," he replied, turning his attention to Bols. "You traded your Imperial Arms for a chance to escape," he summarized, watching as Bols stiffened further, "You're unarmed and completely at our mercy. So, now the question is; what do we do with you?"


	16. Chapter 16

As Bols stared at Haru, he could see the slight tremble in his hands. _He's trying to remain strong_ Haru realized, _even though he knows his life can end right here_. Walking forward, Haru kept his face impassive as he reached into one of the pockets in his cloak. "Kurome would have used that explosion as a signal to retreat as well," he said, "By now, she's probably gotten a fair distance away, so there's not much time." Pulling out a slip of folded paper, he held it out for Bols to take while keeping his sword at his side.

"What's this, some special request before you kill me?" Bols asked, sounding skeptical as he looked at the paper. "Do you want me to kill you?" Haru replied. "I… It's what I expected, and it's probably what I deserve," Bols said, his gaze dropping slightly. "If you believed that, then you wouldn't have been so good to your family," Haru said, getting the man's attention, "Real monsters aren't that selective with their malice." Through this entire exchange, Chelsea watched with curiosity and confusion. She had thought that Haru just wanted to end this with his own hand, but clearly there was something else going on.

"I've thought about this for a while now, Bols," Haru continued as he placed the paper in the man's hands, "And the decision that I've come to is this; you don't deserve to die." This caught them both by surprise, and they stared at Haru in shock. "Wh-what are you saying?" Chelsea asked, stepping forward, "Have you lost-" "He's not an evil person," Haru interrupted without breaking eye contact with Bols, "He may have done evil things, but it's not _who_ he is. It's the same for us; we've done some terrible things, but only because they had to be done."

"You…you're sparing me?" Bols asked, sounding like he was out of breath. "I am," Haru replied, pointing towards a side path, "Follow that path for about a half mile and you'll find yourself at a clearing. My guess is that Kurome is there, too. Take her and make your way back to Esdeath." Pointing at the paper, he continued, "When the Revolution comes to the capital; take your family to that address. The man there is a friend, and he will protect you." "Why? Why would you do this for me?" Bols asked, still unable to believe this was happening. "As you said, I met with your family," Haru said, finally letting a smile creep onto his face, "If nothing else, they are good people. I've seen enough families torn apart by the Empire, I won't add to it. Now go and look after them."

Bols only hesitated for a moment before he turned and walked away. Before Chelsea could try to stop him, Haru held an arm out to block her. She stared at him in shock, which quickly turned to anger after Bols was out of sight. "What the hell are you doing?!" she asked, rounding on him and looking pissed, "We were ordered to kill him, and you're just going to let him walk away?" "That's exactly what we're going to do," he said, looking at her, "And before you even suggest it; no, you're not going after them." "Oh, and why not?" "Because you're not a fighter," he said as he grabbed her arm and started back to the others, "And if Kurome is anything like her sister, then there's no way that some sneak attack is going to finish her."

"And just what do you plan on telling Najenda when she asks for an explanation?" Chelsea asked, "I hope you don't expect me to keep this a secret between us." "Well, while it would be easier if you did, I don't expect you to," he replied, "This is my choice, and I'll bear the consequences." "Is it worth letting him go?" she pressed, her anger giving way to concern. She had grown to like Haru, to like all of Night Raid, and here he was making a decision that could ruin him. He just remained silent and refused to look at her. Sighing in frustration, she pulled her arm from his grip and moved up beside him as they walked, saying, "Fine, have it your way. But don't expect me to come to your defense when the boss grills you over this."

"I think I can handle it," Haru replied, projecting a confidence he definitely _wasn't_ feeling. While he felt that he had made the right choice, he wasn't so sure that the others would see it that way. _Well, it doesn't matter if they don't understand; I do, and I will stand by it_ he thought, trying to steady his nerves. While those words sounded nice and noble, in truth there was one person that he hoped would understand. Whether she would or not remained to be seen.

After a few minutes they found themselves at an abandoned hunting cabin. It had been chosen as their meeting point after the battle, and Haru spotted Susanoo coming back with some firewood. He looked pleased to see them unharmed and lead them into the cabin. But when Haru walked through the door, the first thing he noticed was that Leone was sitting in the bed, still in her lion form, and that Lubbock was working to sew her arm back on. "What in the hell happened to you?" Haru asked, trying to keep his voice level. Of all the people he imagined getting injured in that fight; she was one of the last on the list.

Looking at him, she just smiled and said, "Well, I slipped up and Kurome took advantage of it. Don't worry, my regenerative powers and Lubbock's wires can do wonders." "I just wish I didn't have to do this again," Lubbock muttered as he worked. Before Haru could press for details, Chelsea brushed past him and pulled Najenda off to one side. She was at least courteous enough not to tell everyone at once, but Haru could practically _feel_ Najenda's glare as she learned what had happened.

"Haru, can I talk to you outside?" she said, walking towards the door. Her tone and demeanor told him that it wasn't the request it sounded like, and he braced himself as he walked back outside and shut the door. Taking a deep breath, he met her gaze as he waited for the inevitable explosion. "Would you care to explain why you let _both_ of our targets slip away?" she asked, her eye practically boring a hole through his head. "Kurome was already long gone," he replied, "Chelsea wouldn't have stood much of a chance against her alone, whether she still had any of her puppets or not. And after the fight I had just gone through, I would have been just as useless."

"And what about what happened with Bols?" she asked, just barely managing to keep her voice level. "His Imperial Arms is gone," Haru said, trying not to answer the question they both knew she was really asking, "In addition, I know enough about his family to find them, and he _knows_ that I do. That alone guarantees that he won't pose any threat to us or the Revolution." "Cut the crap," she growled, her patience wearing thin, "We both know that's not what we were told to do. You were ordered to kill him-" "With respect, it was _requested_ that we kill them," Haru interrupted, remaining impassive.

"Damnit, Haru! Do you know the position you've put me in?" Najenda said, taking a step forward, "The position you've put yourself in?" "Then drop me from the team if you don't think I can be trusted, or have me killed for being a traitor," he replied, tired of playing games, "I honestly don't care which, but I'm not apologizing for sparing the life of a good man." "That's all you have to say?" Najenda asked as she stepped forward, "You would be willing to throw this all away to save one person's life?" "What is our mission if it's not to save lives?" Haru fired back, "We're doing this to stop the Empire from destroying the lives of good people. I _will not_ become like them to beat them, and as long as I'm on this team I won't allow us to kill good people that found themselves working for our enemy."

Glaring at him one more time, she gave an explosive sigh before turning away and pulling out a cigarette. Lighting it, she took one long drag, held the smoke in for a few seconds and then let it out in one big cloud. "I don't suppose I can hope that this is a one-time thing, can I?" she asked, sounding calmer. "I wish I could say that it was," Haru replied, glad the argument was over, "All I can promise is to continue to live and act in the manor I deem right." "Then I guess that will be good enough," Najenda said, parking the cigarette in the corner of her mouth, "I'm going to have to deal some form of punishment, so how about this? You get to sleep outside for the night."

"I think I can live with that," he replied, smiling weakly as she walked past him. After she had gone back into the cabin, Haru walked off to find a good tree to sit under. He was still exhausted from that fight, and he could feel the exhaustion setting in as he sat down. Not too long after that, Susanoo came outside with a small plate of food for him. It was some kind of roast and a small potato, and while it wasn't exactly gourmet, Haru's growling stomach couldn't have cared less. The big man just waited patiently for him to finish before taking the plate and turning to head back inside. But he hesitated, and after a moment he turned back.

"Why would you take such a risk, Haru?" he asked, looking confused. Najenda had explained what had happened to them, and they were all attempting to understand his decision in their own way. For Susanoo, this was especially hard since he had only ever regarded himself as an Imperial Arms until recently. "There comes a point in every person's life where their convictions are tested," Haru replied, smiling up at him, "When that happens, all you can do is choose what you think is right and stick with it." "You sound like you've done this before," Susanoo commented. "Yeah, I have," Haru replied, looking sad as he looked away, "I can tell you from experience that it doesn't get easier."

Nodding in understanding, Susanoo returned to the cabin. Taking a breath to rein in a few memories that struggled to surface from the corners of his mind, Haru pulled his cloak tighter as the sun began to set. They may have traveled to the southern territories, but it still got cold at night. He briefly considered using his powers to warm himself up when he heard someone approaching in the gloom. He must have been more tired than he thought, since he hadn't heard the door to the cabin open or their approach until just now.

However, as the figure moved closer he saw that it was Akame. She smiled softly at him and held out the spare blanket she had taken for him. "I thought you might need this," she said, "I know it can get cold out here." "Thank you," Haru replied, returning the smile as he reached out to take it. Doing so opened his cloak up, and while it wasn't exactly thick it had been holding in enough heat to be somewhat comfortable. Now exposed to the cooling air, he felt himself shiver slightly as he reached for the blanket.

Akame noticed this, and in that moment she made up her mind on something she had thought about doing. Rather than just hand the blanket over, she draped it around her shoulders before walking over and sitting down next to him. Before Haru could say anything, she took the extra length and wrapped it around his shoulders as well before moving closer until their shoulders touched. "There, that should be better," she said, looking away and feeling her cheeks warming up a bit. "I…well, thank you," Haru said, surprised at her boldness, "But, you don't have to stay out here with me." "I don't mind," she replied, "Besides, it should be warmer now, shouldn't it?"

"You do remember that I'm a fire-wielder, right?" Haru asked, cracking a smile as her face got a bit darker. "W-well, I thought you could use some company," she mumbled, trying not to get too flustered. Why her calm demeanor was crumbling now, she had no idea. But it was, and she felt exposed and embarrassed. And yet, when she saw him just smiling warmly at her, she felt…better. He wasn't going to scold her for being unprofessional, wasn't going to judge her on her current loss of control.

Giving him a small smile, Akame leaned her head back against the tree as she savored this moment. But after a while, a question that had been plaguing her mind demanded to be addressed. "Why did you spare Bols?" she asked. She could feel Haru tense up at that, and while she regretted making him feel uncomfortable, she needed to know why. "Because he wasn't a bad person," he said finally, "I could tell when I met his family; no one loves someone that much if they're a monster. He may work for monsters, but he didn't allow it to turn him into one."

"You really believe that?" Akame asked, trying to keep the emotion out of her voice. "I wouldn't have spared his life if I didn't," Haru replied, confused as to what she was asking. "No, I mean about the monster part," she said, looking away so as to not betray her feelings, "You really think that someone couldn't love a…monster?" Since she wasn't looking at him, she didn't see the sad smile on his face. He hated what he was about to say next, but he felt that it had to be said; for both their sakes. "Honestly?" he said, looking away, "I think it's possible for people to feel sorry for them, even sympathize with them. But love them, truly? No, I don't think that's possible."

He didn't need to be looking at her to know how deeply those words cut. He could feel her flinch, and he hated himself more in that moment than he had since becoming what he was. But he couldn't afford to let her get too attached to him, no matter how much that hurt. He found himself remembering what he had told Leone, that it would have been better if Akame fell in love with someone else. Now that he thought about it, he realized that was closer to the truth than he had known at the time.

He loved her; that was a fact that he couldn't deny. He loved her with more intensity than he had thought possible. However, he also remained painfully aware of what he had become. He saw it every time he saw his reflection. He was a monster, a half-breed between Human and Danger Beast. And while it was true that he loved her, he wasn't so selfish as to put his wants ahead of her needs. She deserved someone better, someone _human_ ; someone that wouldn't draw the attention and scorn of everyone they met.

And so, rather than apologizing and trying to ease her concerns, Haru just sat their quietly and drifted off to sleep. He may have hated himself for what he had said, but he told himself again and again that he needed to say it, to put some kind of distance between them before they reached a point of no return. Consumed in their own troubled thoughts, the two assassins fell into a somewhat restless sleep.

The next morning, Akame was the first one to wake up. Feeling an unfamiliar weight leaning on her, she shifted and looked to her left. Sure enough, she saw that they had moved to lean against each other in their sleep. Glancing up at Haru's sleeping face, Akame felt her emotions rushing up to the surface and demand that she stop ignoring them. In that moment, she had an almost irresistible urge to lean up and kiss him; to say 'to hell with the excuses' and tell him how she felt. This was further strengthened by what he had said the other night. There were no words to describe how much it pained her to listen to him talk about himself like he was just some thing. That he had allowed those thoughts to reject her feelings for him just added to the pain. She may have expressed those feelings in an indirect fashion, but the fact remained; he didn't consider himself worthy of her.

 _That's not true_ she wanted to say, _you're a human, too, and I love you_. But she couldn't, not without risking a wound that would never truly heal. She still carried a scar from her separation from Kurome, one that had reopened the other day during their fight. She had put up a brave front at the time, but on the inside she had been screaming at her sister to stop fighting them. In truth, she didn't want to kill her any more than Haru did. But she knew that it would have to be done; Kurome was just too dangerous an enemy to be left alive. And because of this knowledge, Akame had decided that she should be the one to do it. It was her family that was the threat, so it should be that same family that decided it.

Akame was shaken from these thoughts when Haru stirred in his sleep. Her focus coming back to the here and now, she realized how close they were to each other and felt her face go red. Looking away quickly, she tried to sit up a bit straighter without disturbing his rest. She didn't succeed. Blinking the sleep from his eyes, Haru sat up and looked at Akame, taking notice of her red cheeks. It only took him a moment to realize what was making her so flustered, and in an effort to ease it he sat up and leaned away while trying to keep his own reaction in check.

Getting up first, he stretched and yawned, trying to work out the kinks from sleeping sitting down. Akame, meanwhile, stayed where she was with the blanket around her shoulders, trying to get herself back under control. He gave her a few moments to collect herself before turning back and offering her a hand. "Come on," he said, smiling slightly, "We should see if they saved us any food." Nodding, since she didn't trust her voice, Akame accepted his hand and pulled herself up. When they walked back into the cabin, Haru made a special effort to ignore the looks from Lubbock, Mine and Leone.

After enjoying a nice, if somewhat basic breakfast, they collected their belongings and started on their way to Kyoroch. The next few days were spent traveling cross-country while avoiding Imperial patrols. Haru made it a point to take the lead and scout when he could, if for no other reason than to prove that he wasn't a traitor. He also wanted to put some kind of distance between himself and Akame. He didn't feel any better about what he had told her that night, but he stood by what he had meant; he didn't deserve her, and they needed to keep their distance to avoid what would inevitably become something bad.

It took them four days at a cautious pace, but they eventually found themselves camping in the mountains overlooking the city itself. After they had set up camp, Haru found his way to a nearby clearing to try and summon his trump card again. He had made it a point to try and harness it ever since he had first discovered what it was, but he had made little progress. As he sat down lotus style and focused, he could feel the power flickering inside of him. It was like he was standing before a great bonfire; the heat was almost overwhelming in its intensity, and he could tell immediately that his usual fire paled into insignificance in comparison.

This wasn't fire in the conventional sense; this was destruction incarnate. This was a raw force of nature, an unstoppable juggernaut of destruction that would destroy everything in its path. Nothing could stop it, nothing could endure it, and left unchecked it would reduce everything into ashes. How he would be able to harness this power, he had absolutely no idea. It wasn't for lack of trying; he had been trying everything from exhausting himself to meditation to try to trigger it, but so far nothing had worked.

And so, instead of trying to force it, Haru was trying to retrace his steps during the first time he had used it. He remembered going out to the small river and thinking about his place in Night Raid. He remembered feeling frustrated as he felt himself getting pulled in two directions and using that frustration to feed into his attacks. Finally, he came to the point where he remembered feeling some indescribable, blind rage. The moment he touched on that memory he felt that bonfire stir slightly, causing him to feel both surprised and accomplished. _So, it's triggered by intense emotions_ he thought with a smile, _now it's just a matter of figuring out how to trigger it at will_.

But even after spending the next hour dwelling on several different things that pissed him off, he was still unable to actually summon his new fire. Returning to the camp, he tried not to let the frustration of yet another failure get to him. _We're getting closer to the end-game_ he thought as he sat down with his food for the night, _I need to be better than this, or I won't be of use. What the hell is holding me back?_ He went to sleep still troubled by his lack of progress, and unfortunately for him this troubled mindset jogged loose memories that he had worked hard to bury.

He was running down a familiar street that had been turned into a hellscape. The buildings were all burning, turning the evening sky into a collection of reds and oranges pierced by pillars of thick smoke. The local Danger Beasts, a brood of Dragon Lizards, had descended onto their small town a little after the sun dropped below the horizon and had reduced their meager defenses to smoldering ruin within half an hour. Now the things were running rampant, driven into a blood-frenzy and burning or eating everything they ran into.

Haru had just come from where he had been helping at one of the barricades, but he was now running down the street as if there was a devil on his heels. Wiping his eye again to try and clear some of the blood from his vision, Haru rounded a corner and continued down the street. He tried hard to tune out the sounds of screaming as people were burned and eaten alive, to ignore the cries from the lizards as they tore the town apart. He had to get to his house, he _had to_. If he could get that far, then he could get his family out of there. Their house was on the edge of town, so they could easily escape into the hills nearby. _I just need to get to the house_ he thought as he ran, _and then everything will be fine_.

But as he made the last turn, he saw the state his house was in and his spirits plummeted. The entire upper floor was belching fire, with the workshop off to the side already a pile of burning metal and wood. While he was exhausted from his flight to the building, he felt his adrenaline spike again as he rushed forward and crashed through the front door.

The smoke was almost overwhelming as he stumbled into the common area. "Mother! Father!" Haru called out between coughs, "Aki! Natsu! Where are you?!" As he called out, he realized there was something moving just around the corner. Stumbling down the hall, he spotted the all too familiar tail of a Dragon Lizard. It was steadfastly ignoring Haru, instead focusing on tearing apart the corpse it was standing over. It was his own father, fallen as he tried to defend his home and family against these beasts. Watching as the Lizard tore another strip out of his body, Haru fought down his gag reflex as he stepped back.

His boot hit something hard, and he looked down to see the hilt of a broken longsword. Seeing the weapon stirred up an unbelievable anger in him, anger that immediately banished his previous fears and concerns from his mind. Picking the sword up, he gave a primal cry as he charged the monster that dared to enter _his_ home. The Lizard was too slow on the uptake, and Haru caught it in the side. The blade split its flesh, slid between its ribs, ripping one of its lungs open and nicking its heart. Rearing up in pain, the Lizard flung Haru up and over its back. He hit the wall on the far end of the kitchen, slumping to the ground and struggling to stay conscious as he tried to breathe again.

Looking up, he saw the Lizard's head swing around, its eyes locking onto him as it hissed. It didn't even charge him, it just walked over slowly with the sword still buried in its side. _This is it_ Haru thought as he struggled to sit up. He didn't want to die, didn't want to be eaten. _It can't end like this_. Squeezing his eyes shut, he prepared for the Lizard to roast him alive. Then, he heard a wheezing and a gurgle. Opening his eyes, he saw the Lizard had bloody foam coming up out of its mouth. Coughing, the creature tried to clear its airway only to make the damage worse. Collapsing on its side, it continued to wheeze as it tried to keep breathing.

Haru didn't have much time to savor victory as he heard the entire building creaking. Picking himself up, he stumbled to the back door and just managed to get out before the building came down. He didn't remember stumbling up into the hills, didn't remember collapsing under the trees in exhaustion and slipping into unconsciousness. The next thing he knew, he was looking up at sunlight streaming through a green canopy. Feeling like he had a bad sunburn, Haru sat up slowly as he tried to not let the pain get to him. But the second he remembered the previous night, he shot to his feet with his pain forgotten.

Rushing through the trees, he burst through the brush to see the smoldering remains of his home. The buildings were all ruins, with a few of the Lizards still nosing around in the wreckage. He couldn't even tell which of the smoking piles used to be his house. _Aki, Natsu, Mother…_ Haru couldn't speak, could barely breathe as he dropped to his knees. It was like his heart had been ripped out as he felt tears streaming down his cheeks. Clutching himself, Haru doubled over and cried out in pain. They were gone, they were all _gone_.


	17. Chapter 17

Sitting up quickly, Haru just barely managed to bite back a cry of fear as the dream faded from his mind. Putting his head in his hands, he tried to get control of himself. It had been almost a year since he had relived that night, and it had left him shaken to his core. Feeling something damp, Haru brought his hands away and realized they were tears. He had been crying in his sleep. Taking a deep breath to calm himself, he wiped the tears away before he just sat there and brought his mind back under control. _I'm of no use to them like this_ he thought.

After a few minutes, he had collected himself again and buried those memories back where they belonged. It would do him no good to dwell on the past today. After a light breakfast, and drawing the short straw to kick Tatsumi out of bed, Haru found himself looking down on the city of Kyoroch. While it wasn't nearly as big as the capital, it was impressive in its own right. "So, what's our plan?" Haru asked, looking over at Najenda. Taking the cigarette out of her mouth, Najenda let out a puff of smoke as she thought over a good plan of action.

Finally, she said, "We need to get a good idea of the terrain, so a few of us are going to scout it out while the rest of us secure a temporary base nearby." Pointing at several of them, she continued, "Lubbock, I need you to scout out the area around the main church. Mine and Tatsumi will scout the outer districts. Finally, I want Akame and Haru to follow up on a lead. We heard rumors of a secret escape tunnel in the city's graveyard, so try to find it if it exists."

 _Damn you, Boss_ Haru thought as they split up to carry out their tasks. He didn't miss how Akame's look brightened a bit at being paired with him. Even after all he had said, after avoiding her for the last few days, she still didn't seem willing to let him go. _Nothing good can come of this_ he told himself as they skirted the city. But his heart, in its usual fashion, wasn't listening to his mind's advice.

They learned through passive gossip that the Jaegers had gotten here a day ahead of them. There was no doubt in Haru's mind that they were going to act in Borick's defense. He just hoped that Bols would have the intelligence to steer clear of the battles that were sure to come of it. As they reached the graveyard, they noticed that there were several mourners and a small service happening on the far side. "We should wait someplace safe for nightfall," he suggested, getting a nod of approval from Akame.

They found a nice tree to climb into, and Haru propped himself up on one of the higher branches to get a better view. He hoped that Akame wouldn't use this time alone to try to work things out with him. "Haru, I wanted to ask you something," Akame said after a while. _Well, so much for that hope_ he thought as he asked, "Is it a big or small question?" "I just wanted you to promise me something," she said, looking up at him, "If something happens to me, I want your word that you will finish this."

"Where's this coming from?" he asked, concerned over what she meant. "Seeing Leone after that last fight," she replied, smiling weakly, "It's just… I know that any one of us can die at any time, but I never thought to make preparations for it." "Well, there's no need," Haru told her, looking back out at the graveyard, "You're going to live through this." "I want your word, Haru," she insisted, ignoring his comment, "Swear to me that you'll finish this, whatever happens." "Will that include dealing with your sister?" he asked without looking at her. He hated putting her on the spot, but he had gotten a good measure of her conviction on this matter a while ago.

She hesitated at that, knowing it was something he had fairly strong feelings about. "I would prefer to…deal with that on my own," Akame said after a while, "But, I suppose it does." "Then I'll have to make sure you live through this," he said, smiling sadly, "Because that's one thing I won't promise you." After that, they spent the next few hours waiting patiently for the graveyard to clear out. By the time they could come down and start searching, the sun had long since dropped below the horizon. And while Haru would never admit it out loud, he had always found graveyards unnerving at night.

While Akame checked out the mausoleum, Haru went and inspected some of the larger headstones. Kneeling down before one with an angel carved into it, he was in the middle of searching for a hidden trigger when he felt someone behind him. Whirling around, Haru dropped one hand onto his sword hilt as he saw that four people had managed to sneak up on them. One of them was a tall, pale man with stiches on his body and a smile that reminded him of Zank. To his left was another man wearing a black coat with the hood up, completely obscuring his face. The last two behind him wore masks. The boy had a bow in his hand and a quiver across his back, and looked quite a bit younger than him. The girl stood with her hands out and empty by her sides and looked to be about the same age as Haru.

"Well, that's fairly impressive," Haru said as he stood up, "So, out for a late-night walk?" "Hehe, you could say something like that," the taller man said, clenching his fists, "We heard that there were rats sniffing around. You should be honored that I've been sent to take care of you." "Oh? And why is that?" Haru asked. "Well, that's surprising," he replied, looking offended, "You must really be new here to not recognize one of the Four Koukenji Rashasa Demons." "I'm sorry, the what?" Haru asked, trying not to laugh but unable to keep a chuckle out of his voice.

The taller man just scowled at him in response. By this point, Akame had come out of the mausoleum to see who was talking. When she saw their guests, she stiffened slightly. "I-Ibara?" she asked, sounding surprised. "Oh, now this is a surprise!" the tall man said, turning to her, "I had heard you were working with Night Raid, but I didn't think I would get to see you again so soon. It's been a long time, Akame." "You know this freak?" Haru asked her, ignoring the glare he got from the man. "We were comrades before I left the capital," she replied, unsheathing her sword, "It appears that you haven't fared too well since then, Ibara."

"On the contrary!" he replied, smiling again, "Not long after you left, I came here and joined the Koukenji Rashasa Demons. As part of our training, we all received extensive body modifications. Now we can beat anyone, even Imperial Arms users!" "We'll see about that, freak," Haru replied, preparing to charge. "Not so fast, Haru of the Demon's Sight," the hooded man replied, stepping forward, "He's not your opponent, we are." "What, are you a member of that Koukenji whatever group, too?" Haru asked. "No, I'm just an interested party," he replied. Waving his hand, he said, "Subject 17, Subject 18, subdue him for me."

Before Haru could do much more than blink, the girl rushed him with more speed than he thought possible and immediately started throwing punches. It was all he could do to keep her at bay, and he had absolutely no openings to counter. Akame tried to come to his aid, but Ibara was in her way in moments. His own attacks forced her on the defensive as well; it was like she was fighting an octopus instead of a man as he managed to dodge and attack in ways that shouldn't have been physically possible.

Dodging another blow aimed at his head, Haru saw an opening and brought his sword up towards her midsection. She seemed to see this coming as she stepped back just in time to avoid the blade. Before Haru could press his advantage, he noticed that the boy was holding his bow up like he was pointing at Haru. "Lock," he said simply, causing a crystal on the handle to glow. _What the hell_ Haru thought as a beam of light shot at him. He tried to sidestep it, but it still managed to impact his right shoulder. He had expected pain, but it just hit him and dissipated.

"Okay, you have my attention now," Haru said, looking at the cloaked man, "What the hell did he just do to me?" "You've been marked by his Imperial Arms now," the man replied, sounding pleased, "You might as well surrender now, since there's no way you're beating us." "In your dreams, buddy," Haru replied as he summoned fire around his blade. Before he could attack, the boy had drawn and fired an arrow at him. This time, he was able to sidestep the projectile easily, smirking at the kid's weak attempt to hit him. But right after he took a step forward he felt a sharp pain in his right shoulder. And by sharp pain, he meant that it _freaking hurt_.

Looking over, he saw an arrowhead sticking out of his flesh and realized he had been shot. _He hit me_ Haru thought, grasping the wound, _how?_ Looking up, he had just enough time to realize that the girl was coming at him again. Gritting his teeth against the pain, Haru brought his flaming blade up and cried, "Zündung!" The wave of fire was well aimed, and the girl didn't have a hope of dodging it. But rather than trying, as most people would, she instead raised her right hand and pointed at the fire. Suddenly, a jet of water shot out from behind her and collided with the fire, putting it out instantly.

Haru just stood there, dumbfounded. He only knew of one water-manipulating Imperial Arms, but it had been sent to the Revolution's HQ. "How?" he asked, knowing they would understand the meaning. "The person that the rebels found to use the Black Marlin wasn't nearly as skilled as the last user, so acquiring it was simple," the man replied, "And as for the boy; he's using the Sure Strike; Archer's Storm, one of the Imperial Arms thought lost during the civil war. Anything it marks can be hit with any projectile, at any distance, without fail."

Haru tried to keep his anger in check as the man spoke; the smug bastard sounded giddy as he talked, like this was something to boast about. "Dare I ask what you have up your sleeve?" Haru continued as he broke the arrowhead off and pulled the thing out, "There's no way you don't have your own weapon." "Oh, I do," the man replied, giving Haru the impression that he was smiling, "But I think you have more pressing matters than what I may have up my sleeve."

Sure enough, the girl was moving after him again. Bringing his sword up, he tried to ward her off only for her to dodge to the side and deliver a hard blow to his wrist. This broke his grip on the handle, and before he could try to recover his weapon he was forced back further by a series of kicks. _She's really good at close-combat_ Haru thought as he continued to dodge, _but it's just a show_. He knew that people with this kind of skill wouldn't keep missing unless they meant to. Clearly, she was keeping him focused on her while the boy lined up his shots.

As if summoned by his thoughts, Haru noticed that the kid was to his right and had a new arrow ready to fly. This one had a large, blunt tip. As he fired, he noticed that the girl backed _way_ off. _That can't be good_ he thought as he turned and brought his hand up. "Zündung!" he commanded, sending a fireball at the arrow. But as they collided, the explosion was far larger than he had anticipated and it blew him back a few inches. "Freaking bomb arrows? Seriously?" he said, looking between the two. They just remained silent as they fell into their pattern again, but this time Haru was prepared. With another command, he covered his hands in flames and went on the offensive.

He managed to force the girl to dodge a few blows before she jumped back and pointed at him. More water came from behind her, and this time he noticed a large water skin strapped to her back just before it hit him. The impact wasn't as intense as he thought it would be, considering what this weapon had done to Bulat. However, it did succeed in putting his fire out and drenching him, making it difficult to summon more fire quickly. Focusing his power, he raised his body's temperature and felt the water starting to evaporate before noticing that the girl hadn't charged him again. Instead, she continued to point at him before flicking her wrist.

If he had had the time, he would have remembered that the ring gave its user control over all forms of liquid nearby. That would include the water that now covered him from head to toe. As a result, she flung him into the air and through a nearby headstone, knocking the wind from him as he landed and rolled. Coming to a stop on his stomach, Haru planted his hands on the ground and said, "Thýella," causing a large carpet of fire to spring to life and spread towards the two. The boy dodged it by jumping up onto the headstones before leaping from one to the other. The girl was nowhere to be seen, but that wasn't his main concern as he watched the boy draw several arrows and fire in succession.

Rather than trying to dodge them, Haru brought some of his fire up in a wall, incinerating the arrows on contact. Well, at least he managed to with the first few. Had he not created a shield of fire, he would have seen that one of the last arrows had been another explosive one. He certainly felt it as it collided with his shield and detonated, blowing a hole in the barrier just as a pair of arrows came screaming through. The first hit him in the left shoulder while the second impacted his right thigh. Grasping their shafts, he gave a burst of fire and burned them away as well as sealing the wounds temporarily.

Looking around to find the archer, he spotted the girl again. But this time, she had collected a lot more water. _Where in the hell_ he thought before he noticed the trees at her back. They were all withered and black, like they had been wrung dry. _She's using the water from plants? Clever_. Smirking, Haru couldn't help but enjoy himself. Even though this was likely to end in his death, it was nice to be fighting powerful opponents.

Glancing over in Akame's direction, he saw that help wouldn't be forthcoming. That freak, Ibara, was still able to dodge her attacks with ease as he continued to push her back, proving that his claim about beating Imperial Arms users wasn't just for show. Hearing a roaring, Haru turned back just as the girl formed the water into a giant serpent and sent it at him. Shifting his foot so it was in the flames behind him, Haru took control back and gathered them up into a concentrated ball before sending it to meet the snake head-on. The blast was what he expected it to be; large, loud and completely neutralizing both attacks.

But then he saw a figure charging him through the smoke and prepared himself as the girl crashed into him again. This time, she wasn't just stalling. Haru was able to dodge the dangerous blows, but she was still able to land a few hits as she drove him back. Blocking a kick at his stomach, Haru wrapped his arm around her foot rather than let it go as he prepared to finish her. She had also prepared her own blast of water, and their attacks collided and blew them both backwards.

Landing on his feet, Haru charged up another fireball in his right hand while his left reached down for one of his knives. He was stopped short when an arrow pierced his hand, dispersing the fireball and hurting like hell. Clutching the wound, he grit his teeth against the pain before looking up and gasping. The girl had used this as an opening to charge him again and he had just enough time to register this before her fist collided with his chest, sending him into another headstone. While he didn't go through this one, he felt the stone crack under the impact as he coughed and tasted copper. Dropping to his knees, he took a deep breath before reaching back for one of his shots. _Now the gloves come off_ he thought as he brought it out and jabbed it into his leg.

Feeling the drug kick in, Haru watched in grim amusement as the girl charged him again. Bringing his left fist down, he punched the ground while commanding, "Thýella!" This time, instead of a carpet of fire he created a massive explosion, throwing her up and away. Some of the debris caught her mask, and the porcelain crumbled from the hit as she came back down to the ground. Getting up, Haru burned the arrow out of his hand as he walked forward. But before he could get more than two steps, the boy was between him and the girl with his bow up in a protective stance.

"You really think you can stop me with her out of the way?" Haru asked, summoning fire in both hands as he prepared to blast this kid into ash. He stopped cold, however, when the girl got up and faced him, his fire going out as his arms dropped to his side and his eyes went wide. "A-Aki?" he said, stunned beyond words. Her hair was shorter, and she had a small scar on her cheek, but other than that this girl was the spitting image of his sister. Shaking his head, he prepared to attack again, saying, "Nice try, but I've seen this kind of crap before. You think some cheap illusion is going to rattle me?"

"You think this is an illusion?" the man asked, laughing, "No, no, I can guarantee that these two are the genuine article. Although, it's interesting that you know them personally." "What do you mean 'them?'" Haru asked, already dreading the answer. "Well, it turns out that these two are a pair," he said, gesturing to the boy, "And now, with that little reveal I guess that makes you a set." Haru's suspicions were confirmed when the boy removed his own mask, revealing his little brother, Natsu, underneath.

He couldn't move, couldn't speak, hell, he could barely breathe as he looked at them. "H-How?" he managed after a few seconds, "No, that can wait till later. Why are you two fighting me?" "Because I tell them to," the man replied, removing his hood and smiling. He had long, black hair and a scar down the right side of his face, as well as one of the coldest, cruelest smiles Haru had ever seen. "You're controlling them?" he asked, snorting, "Then there's no way they're my family. No one related to me is that weak." "My Imperial Arms makes that kind of strength irrelevant," the man replied, "A fact that you will soon learn."

When he pointed at Haru, he felt a sharp pain in his right shoulder followed by an incredible cold. Gasping for air, he collapsed to his knees and clutched his shoulder. Out of reflex, he flared his powers up and tried to fight the cold back, but this only seemed to slow it rather than stop it. "Wh-What is this?" he managed as his arm started to grow numb. "Don't tell me you never pondered the nature of the third Demon weapon," the man said as he walked over, still smiling, "I coated the boy's first arrow with my power, and it was introduced to your bloodstream on contact. Or are you going to tell me you didn't notice that the arrowhead looked darker than the others?"

In truth, he hadn't noticed a change in its color at all. But that didn't matter at this point. If this was some kind of poison, he probably had seconds to neutralize it before he was dead. But the mention of a Demon weapon made that unlikely. _He said it was darker_ Haru thought, trying to figure this out, _and all the Demon weapons deal with pure elements. So, what element is dark?_ If he hadn't been in so much pain, he would have figured it out a lot sooner. "Darkness?" he said finally, causing the man's smile to widen. "That's right, little fire-wielder," he purred, "I control the very shadows with my Demon God Manifestation; Demon's Core."

Placing a hand over his chest, he continued, "Implanted in me is the heart of the only small Danger Beast to ever receive the Ultra-class title. It could manipulate the shadows to hide and fed off the darkness of its prey. It would even encourage their darker nature to increase its food supply. It was a parasite, really, but its power was very real and very dangerous. It was said that even a saint would become a heartless monster after less than an hour of exposure." "So, what are you planning to do? Bring out my inner evil?" Haru asked with a smirk.

"Nothing so dramatic," the man replied, shaking his head, "I found, through trial and error, the perfect balance of power to control people. I just sent some of my darkness into your blood, and as we speak it's spreading throughout your body. In a few moments, it will have spread to every fiber of your being, and then… Then, I will go to work on your mind." The man brought his hand up, and Haru felt the coldness inside him respond and lift him up off the ground. Gasping, he felt his concentration slip as the cold spread further. He lost the feeling in his entire right side by the time he was focused and fighting back again.

"You can struggle all you want. In fact, you've lasted longer than any of my other subjects," he said, smiling, "But you will break, in time. All of the darkness in your heart is my weapon, Haru. Ultimately, you will break yourself." Focusing his powers, Haru tried to burn this darkness out of him. But he felt the effects of the booster starting to wear off. He was on the clock, and he didn't have the time to try the long approach. Pointing at the man with his left arm, Haru prepared to launch a fireball when Aki and Natsu moved into his way. "Get out of my way!" Haru said, hoping they would listen, "You don't have to obey him!"

Laughing, the man replied, "You think petty words will break my control? Hahaha! Maybe I should show you just what you're fighting against!" Bringing both hands up, he increased his concentration. Haru gave a strangled cry as the cold spread faster, and he tried to hold it at bay but couldn't keep up. He lost the feeling in his other leg, followed shortly by his chest and left arm. It then creeped up his neck, and he felt himself starting to black out as the cold became so intense. _D-damnit, looks like I screwed up_ he thought as he slipped into oblivion.

As luck would have it, Akame had finished Ibara off by this point. Looking over, she saw that Haru was in serious trouble and moved to help. In response, the girl moved into her way and raised a barrier of water in her path. It encircled the four of them, and was far too high to jump over. Running forward, she hoped to break through what appeared to be a static barrier. Instead, she found that it was in fact flowing and changing with such force that she was thrown back. Getting up and growling in frustration, she slashed at the barrier in a vain attempt to breach it. "Haru!" she cried, hoping at least her words could reach him, "Don't you dare quit on me now, Haru! Fight back!"

The man just chuckled at her naiveté as he focused on the boy before him. Now that his body had been subjugated, it was time to start working on his mind. Maybe he would do the same with the girl. She was clearly very skilled and would make an excellent addition to his collection. _I can always use another pawn in the rotation_ he thought, smiling as he worked.

Drifting in a black sea, Haru felt incredibly cold as he struggled to figure out what was happening. Looking around, he massaged his arms as he tried to get some warmth back. He even tried to use his fire, but nothing seemed to work as the cold pressed down. Then, he started to hear voices. They were just whispers at first; barely on the edge of human hearing, but there nonetheless. After a while, they grew louder and resolved themselves into proper words.

"Freak of nature. You don't belong here." "You're nothing but a mistake." "Why don't you just do everyone a favor and die?" "Go back with the monsters, where you belong!" "You'll never have the power to save anyone." These and other accusations continued, and at first he was confused as to where they were coming from. Then he remembered what the man had said, and it all made sense. _He's using my own fears against me_ Haru reasoned, taking a breath to calm himself _, all I have to do is ride this out. Buy enough time and someone will take him down._ But the words soon became much more personal.

This time, rather than just random voices he heard people that he knew; Bols, Esdeath, Leone, Lubbock, and even his sister, Aki. "You threatened my family, you monster!" "How could we ever see you as a friend? You're just a sad little freak." "Why would I ever offer you shelter? You're too weak to be of use to me." "I can't believe I have to place my life in your hands. You couldn't even save your own family." "You betrayed our trust, just as I knew you would. You're just an animal, after all." "You left us to die!" All of them throwing his failures and choices into his face, showing him just how much of a mistake he truly was. Clutching his head, he tried to block them out as they continued to chip away at his mind. But the final blow came from somewhere he never expected. Or rather, somewhere he should have seen coming.

"How could I ever love a creature like you?"

 _Akame, I'm sorry._


	18. Chapter 18

After a while, Akame gave up on trying to breach the barrier. Nothing she did could pierce the water, and her few attempts at jumping over had met with failure and bruises. She could only stand and watch as that man did God knows what to Haru. To _her_ Haru. Clenching her hands almost to the point where her nails drew blood, she tried to figure out some way to get in there and help. _Murasame is of no use against that girl's weapon_ she thought, trying to form a plan, _and she's too observant to let me out of her sight easily. That boy also has a long-range weapon, although he has to mark me to hit me._

Her only saving grace was that whatever the man was doing appeared to require his full attention. If his weapon was anything like Haru's, then he could easily sweep her aside whenever he wanted to. That still left her with some pretty long odds; two Imperial Arms versus one was a far cry from ideal. Still, she had to do something to stop this. She had heard enough of their conversation to know that the longer they were left alone, the more likely it was that Haru would be reduced to a puppet. And she wasn't prepared to fight him to the death, she wasn't even sure she could.

"Haru, I know you can hear me," she said, hoping to give him some kind of support, "Fight back, Haru! I know you are stronger than this, so fight back!" The man just grimaced as the girl shouted, wishing she would just shut up and accept the inevitable. "17, deal with her," he said without breaking his concentration. With that, the girl Haru had called Aki dropped her barrier before forming the water into several snakes and hurling it at Akame. She just managed to dodge the attack before noticing that the girl had charged her. Akame wasn't quick enough to avoid the kick to her stomach, and she felt the air leave her body as she hit one of the headstones before landing on the ground.

Picking herself back up, she prepared her sword to cut this girl down before remembering Haru's face when he saw her. Whoever this person was, she was important to him, and because of that Akame was hesitant to kill her. _And here I thought my feelings wouldn't compromise my ability to fight_ she thought, smirking at how ridiculous that claim was. However, there was a silver lining to this situation. She realized it when she was forced to dodge another blow; without Aki there to stop her, the only one in her way was the bowman. He would have to mark her to use his weapon successfully, but if she was fast enough then he wouldn't even have the time for that. _Now, who do I go for_ she wondered as she started blocking blows with her scabbard, _that man in black, or Haru?_

After what felt like an eternity, Haru felt ground under his feet. However, with the continuing barrage of insults and accusations, as well as the debilitating cold, Haru found that he didn't have the strength to remain standing. The moment he put weight on his legs, they gave out and he collapsed to his knees, clutching his head in pain as he tried to ignore those voices. _It's not true_ he kept repeating to himself, _I'm not a failure. I may be a mistake, but I'm not weak. I'm not!_

It wasn't helping as much as he hoped it would. That bastard had been frighteningly right; the darkness of his own soul was working against him. And after all of the things he had thought, said and done, there was no shortage of ammo for him to use. After a while, it became difficult for Haru to think as the barrage of verbal abuse continued. Closing his eyes, he prayed for it to just stop as he collapsed onto his side, and he didn't care what it would take.

Feeling something tickle his nose, Haru shifted and rolled his head. He saw white all around him, and in the distance were snow covered trees. In fact, there was snow falling now, slow and steady. Sitting up, he looked around in confusion at strangely familiar surroundings. Hearing someone to his left, Haru turned and saw the backside of a house. The windows and open door were lit with the warm glow of a fire, and standing in the door was his sister. She had on her favorite light-blue dress and scarf, and was looking at him with a smile as he sat there. "Hey, you going to stay out there all evening?" she asked, crossing her arms and leaning on the door frame, "Mom has dinner cooking and Natsu is looking for you. Why don't you come back inside before you catch your death of cold?"

For a moment, he was confused. For a moment, he felt like he should have had something that would warm him right up, but he couldn't remember what. In fact, he couldn't remember what he had been doing outside at all. Shaking his head to clear it, he looked at his sister and smiled. "Yeah, that sounds like a good idea," he said as he got up and shook some of the snow off. Returning his smile with a bigger one, she held her hand out as he approached. As he reached the bottom of the stairs, he reached up to accept her hand before stopping. _Something doesn't feel right_ he realized, looking at her closer, _my instincts are saying this is wrong. But what is wrong?_

"Something wrong, brother?" Aki asked, tilting her head in confusion. Taking a deep breath, he banished those troubling thoughts as he stepped forward. "No, nothing is wrong, Aki," he replied, smiling, "I'm just a little tired, that's all." "Well, if you ask nicely then maybe mother will prepare you something special," she said, smiling as she took his hand. For the briefest of moments, Haru felt better than he had in a long time. He didn't know why, but it felt like he had been freed from a massive burden, and it felt _so_ good.

Then he felt someone crash into him, wrapping their arms around him as they tackled him and put him on his back. Lying on the ground, he stared at the sky in confusion. _There's no one on me_ he thought, looking down to make sure, _so what the hell just happened?_ Aki was just trying not to laugh, assuming it was her brother acting silly again. '… you have to fight this,' he heard suddenly. It was a voice he recognized, and it sounded like it was coming from right next to his head. _Who… is that?_

It had been a calculated risk, but Akame had decided that her best bet was to try and break the man's hold over Haru. She didn't know the true nature of his powers, and for all she knew the effects would linger on even after his death. Blocking another blow from Aki with her scabbard, Akame used this opening and brought the end of Murasame's handle into her stomach. This knocked the wind from the girl and bought her enough time to break away. The boy was ready for this, and he raised his bow to mark her while drawing one of his explosive arrows. Anticipating where he would try to hit, Akame bent down to grab a piece of broken headstone before continuing her charge.

He tried to mark her and shoot at the same time, and that would be his undoing. As he fired the beam of light, with the arrow just a second behind it, Akame hurled her rock into its path. The beam hit it, and the arrow turned to track its target before hitting it and exploding. The boy seemed unprepared for this, and hesitated before trying to draw another arrow. He wasn't quick enough, though, and Akame's scabbard hit him square in the chest, sending him flying into a headstone. Looking over his shoulder, the man grit his teeth in frustration as she rushed him. Breaking off his connection, he leaped to the side and turned to face her. Raising a hand, he created a pure black barrier to stop her sword.

However, she hadn't been trying to kill him just yet. Instead, she used the rebound from the blow to propel herself at Haru. Released from his control, Haru's body had started to fall back to the ground. Crashing into his chest, she wrapped her arms around him and carried him a few feet before tripping up and falling. He landed on his back, and she landed on him. Getting up, she grabbed his shoulders and said, "Wake up, Haru! Don't give in; you have to fight this!" He stirred slightly in his trance, and she felt hope at his reaction. That is, until she felt something wrap around her midsection and hurl her into another headstone.

It turns out that the man hadn't just been standing back and watching. He had summoned a tendril of darkness to attack her, and even after the first one disappeared there were several more forming around him. "He must be someone special for you to take a risk like that," the man said, walking forward, "I guess I should start with you next, sine he's going to be unconscious for the next few hours." Reaching out, he sent the tendrils forward to surround her. Lashing out with Murasame, she tried to hold them back only to have one wrap around her right wrist. With a twist it broke her grip on the sword, and before she could try to recover it her other hand had been pinned. Lifting her up, the man prepared to begin on her as he brought a knife out of one of his inner pockets. It possessed a black blade and practically dripped with dark energy.

Sitting up in the snow, Haru tried to figure out just what the hell had happened to him. Hearing laughter, he looked up to see Aki clutching her stomach with tears coming to her eyes. "Haha! Wow, I knew you could be a klutz, but this takes the cake," she managed as she tried to steady her breathing. Smiling at her, he had to admit that he had probably slipped. It was cold outside, after all, and it wasn't too far-fetched to think there was ice. But he remembered that voice from somewhere, and it took him all of three seconds to realize why. "…Akame," he muttered, his memory returning to him.

Looking up, he realized this wasn't real; that bastard had created an illusion to trick him. Odds are that had he entered that house he would have given up to his control. Standing up, Haru felt the cold attack him in response to his resistance. He would yield to its power, as all others previously had. However, Haru's powers had just been introduced to a new fuel source; anger. That man had used his family against him, his very memories, all in an attempt to break him. _You can't even comprehend how badly you fucked up here, buddy_ Haru thought as he watched the illusion dissipate.

He could feel something besides his inner flame flaring up in response to this anger, but it still wasn't enough to push him over the edge. Returning to the real world, Haru managed to roll over and get up onto his knees. But when he heard a cry, he looked up and felt his heart stop. That man had Akame restrained with several tendrils and a black knife out in his hand. She had tried to kick the blade away, but he had responded by wrapping one tendril around her throat and squeezing. That did it.

"Verbrennen."

They all felt an intense heat coming off from his direction, and they turned to see Haru standing up with a burning aura around him. It wasn't nearly as unnerving as the look in his eyes; it was as if they were staring into the heart of the sun. Even Aki and Natsu stepped back out of reflex, in spite of the shadows coursing through their veins. "H-How are you doing that?" the man asked, turning to face him fully, "I filled you with so much darkness… I felt the dark in your soul! There's no way a person like you should even be awake, much less standing!"

"It's funny," Haru replied, smiling darkly, "I never thought to use my trump card like this before." Lifting his hand up, he looked at it and felt the raw power flowing through him. "I know from using this technique previously that it's a fire that can consume anything. I just didn't realize what it truly was," he said, clenching his hand into a fist, "It's not just physical destruction; my trump can burn away _anything_ , including your little shadows. I just used it on myself, and now I will end you." Looking up at the man, Haru could tell that he had shaken him. Stepping forward, Haru prepared his last few attacks. He had a minute, maybe two, left before his booster wore off and this power-up with it.

Bringing his hand up, he commanded, "Thýella!" Flames lept from his hand, and the man responded by bringing up a barrier to defend against it. "17, 18, delay him!" he commanded as he started to retreat. In response, Aki and Natsu moved to stop him, even though it would probably cost them their lives. _And he doesn't care_ Haru thought, feeling his energy flare up even further. Bracing himself, he dashed forward and felt his powers augment his speed. He was between them faster than they could react, and he hit them both at once; his right knee into Aki's stomach and his left hand at the base of Natsu's neck.

They went down without a sound, and Haru moved after the man that had done all this. He was going to pay; he was going to pay _dearly_. He was in the man's way in a flash, lashing out with another blast of fire while he tried to fight back with his shadows. "Sorry," Haru said, though he didn't look anywhere near it, "But an Imperial Arms used for stealth and brainwashing isn't going to save you from my flames! Zündung!"

His fire came down in a wide slash, eating through the man's barrier and burning a trail down one side. To his credit, it didn't knock him down, although he did stumble back a few steps. "Any last wor-" Haru began before he felt the drug wear off. _Damnit_ he thought as his legs buckled. Dropping to one knee, he tried to stay upright and manifest more fire. He had to finish this, he _had to_. But it was no use; he couldn't light a match, much less burn a man alive. The man seemed to realize this as he grinned. "So, all that power was just for show, huh?" he asked, walking forward and pulling his knife back out, "It's such a shame to kill someone like you, but I guess it can't be helped. You're too much of a pain to let liv-"

He was cut short with a grunt. Looking down, he saw the end of Murasame sticking out of his chest. Dropping his knife, he clutched at the wound as he tried to figure out what the hell just happened. He could already feel the poison working its way through his body as he looked behind him. Akame stood there with her own furious look. If Haru was all burning heat, she was cold assurance. Removing the blade, she continued to stare at him as she said, "This settles it. Now die, and take your cursed weapon with you." "D-damn you…" he managed as he collapsed.

Akame waited a few seconds to make sure that the poison had actually killed him. She had pierced one of his lungs, so it should have spread fairly quickly. But his Imperial Arms was organic in nature, so there was no way of knowing just what kind of abilities it had. The second she was sure, however, her sword was back in its scabbard and she was at Haru's side to keep him steady. Breathing heavily, Haru tried to fight off the exhaustion that was threatening to consume him. "He's dead, right?" he asked, looking up at her. She just nodded while looking concerned. She had seen the kind of damage his trump card could inflict, and she didn't even want to guess what it had cost him to internalize that kind of fire.

Looking over at Aki and Natsu, who were still unconscious, he asked, "Are they still…?" "I think they're alright," she replied, giving him a small smile, "I avoided cutting them, and you didn't hit anything vital." Sighing in relief, Haru shifted so he was sitting down and just focused on recovering his strength. "Thank you, Akame," he said after a while, "I'm sure this is all going to hit me like a ton of bricks later, so in case I forget to say it; thank you." "So, who are they?" she asked, grateful that he at least appeared to be alright, "You seemed to know them."

Without saying a word, he reached into one of his pockets and pulled out his family photo. Handing it to her, he just let her connect the dots as she examined the faces. After a few seconds, it all clicked and she looked at them in concern. "…Your family?" she asked finally. She wasn't just stunned at this, she was angry. That man had almost made Haru kill his own siblings earlier, something that would have utterly destroyed him had he done it. "Yeah," Haru replied, "I can't imagine how they survived, but it looks like they did."

Finally able to stand again, Haru got back onto his feet before walking over to them. "We can't just leave them here," he said, kneeling down and picking Natsu's weapon up. Nodding in agreement, Akame got Aki onto her back with Haru's help. Then, with Haru carrying his brother, they made their way back to their meeting point with the others. It was a long walk, and a few times Haru felt like he was going to pass out. But he grit his teeth and powered through it, determined to see his brother and sister safely to their hideout nearby.

By the time they got to the meeting point, the others had been waiting for a little over two hours. Mine looked pissed that they had been made to wait so long, but the second they saw Akame and Haru carrying people, their anger turned into concern. "What the heck happened to you two?" Mine asked. Ignoring her, Tatsumi walked over and helped Haru with his brother, since it looked like he was about to pass out. "It's a long story," Haru replied, sighing in relief as Tatsumi took Natsu, "We just need to get them to our hideout. They won't be a problem, trust me." "Who are they?" Lubbock asked, looking at Aki with interest.

Had Haru been in a better condition, he would have probably taken issue with it. Instead, he just gave a tired growl as he replied, "They're my siblings." Lubbock took the implied meaning and took a step back, smiling and raising his hands. With the five of them, it didn't take long to get to their hideout. Najenda had managed to secure a rather large house from one of their supporters. She didn't ask any questions about their guests when she saw the state Haru was in. She knew he was about to drop, so she decided to leave it until later. Setting them up in a room together, Haru breathed a sigh of relief as he dropped onto the room's couch. He was out the moment he hit its surface, and was thankfully too drained to even dream.

Akame walked into the room a short time later, hoping they were all alright. Seeing the three of them sleeping, especially Haru passed out on the couch, brought a smile to her face. Walking over, she picked up his discarded cloak and draped it over him. She then sat down next to the end of the couch, by his head, and closed her eyes to rest. She was also beat from their battle, although sleep didn't come easy to her. Leone had made it a point to tell her that, in a way, Haru owed her one for helping to save his siblings. "You know, you could ask him for almost anything," she had said, giving Akame an evil-looking smile.

She knew full well what her friend had been implying, but it wasn't something she felt good about. She may love him, but she wasn't about to guilt him into returning those feelings. Right now, she was content just to be with him as friends. At least, that's what she tried to tell herself as she slipped into slumber. When the sun finally peaked over the horizon, Akame was the first to wake up. Yawning, she turned her head before freezing in place. Haru had shifted onto his side in his sleep, and right now their faces were centimeters apart. Looking at his peaceful features, she felt her emotions, her love, rushing to the surface. She wanted to steal a kiss from him badly at that moment, so much so that she had started to move before she even realized it.

But she was stopped short when she heard someone clearing their throat. Realizing what she had been about to do, she leaned back with a face the color of a tomato. Looking to her left, she saw the girl, Aki, sitting up in her bed and looking at her. Her face was an impassive mask, and she just brought one hand up and motioned Akame over. Not knowing what else she could do, Akame came over and sat on the chair next to her. "So," Aki began, looking serious, "How long has _that_ been going on?" "I-uh, well… I'm not…" Akame replied, completely flustered.

Unable to stand anymore, Aki broke out into a wide grin and started laughing silently. Concerned that she might hurt herself, Akame was about to lean in when she just waved her off. "I'm sorry," Aki said, wiping her eyes, "I couldn't resist. The second I saw those puppy dog eyes, it was too good to pass up." "Ah, that's what that was," Akame said, smiling back. This was Haru's sister, after all. It would make sense that they had similar senses of humor. "But, I do have two serious questions for you," Aki said after she had collected herself, "How has my brother been doing?"

"Doing?" Akame asked, unsure what she meant. "How much trouble has he caused?" Aki clarified, "How many times has he put himself at risk for others? He is my brother, so I have a pretty good idea what he tends to do." "Well, that might take a while to explain." "I'm not going anywhere anytime soon," Aki said, bringing her knees up and resting her chin on them. Taking a deep breath, Akame told her what they had all been through. Aki didn't seem too pleased with the idea of her brother joining a group of assassins, but she remained silent as Akame talked. Hearing about the different opponents he had faced and beaten was impressive; she still remembered when her darling little brother had barely been able to beat anyone with training swords, much less a real one.

"Well, that's one heck of a life," Aki said after Akame had finished, "But now to my second question. Has he answered you?" Tilting her head, Akame tried to act confused at her question, but Aki saw right through her and sighed. "Don't tell me he's had someone like you crushing on him and done nothing about it," she said, pinching the bridge of her nose. "It's… a little more complicated than that," Akame said, looking down and clasping her hands, "We're both assassins; either one of us could die at any time, and neither of us wants to break the other's heart. We're fine with remaining as…friends."

"Don't give me that shit," Aki replied, looking pissed, "He's not that stupid. I refuse to believe my brother would turn down someone's feelings out of fear." "It's not just that," Akame said, trying to keep her voice neutral, "I don't know all of the details, since he refuses to talk about it. But… he doesn't consider himself human anymore." Aki just looked at her in shock. Could Haru have changed _that_ much in just a few years? _No, there's no way_ Aki thought, _whatever may have happened, I know that's just not possible_.

Placing a hand on Akame's shoulder, she said, "Don't worry, sister, I'll talk to him." Smiling at her, Akame nodded in thanks. Before they could talk further, Haru yawned from where he was lying and sat up. Looking around in confusion, it took him a moment to remember where the heck he was. Turning to look at the two girls, his gaze lingered on Akame briefly, and he smiled when he saw she was alright. Then he looked over at his sister, and it was part shock and part disbelief.

Getting up, he walked over to her bedside and sat down, at a complete loss for words. "Ar-Are you…?" he began, trying to find some way to quell his raging mind. Smiling at him, Aki reached out and took one of his hands in both of hers. "I'm fine. A little tired and hungry, but fine," she said, giving his hand a squeeze. At this point, tears started to form in her eyes as she smiled wider, saying, "Hello, brother. It's been a while, huh?" Bringing her hand up, Haru kissed her knuckle as tears started to dust his own eyes. "Thank you…" he said as he leaned forward and hugged his sister, "Thank you…." Through all of this, Akame just sat and watched with a smile, feeling a warmth she hadn't felt in a long time.


	19. Chapter 19

After they had collected themselves, Aki took a good, long look at her brother. She hadn't seen him in over two years, but she could tell right off the bat that he had indeed changed. For starters; his eyes were completely different from before. Never mind the scar on his face, the fact that he had a new pair of eyes was slightly off-putting. Bringing her hand up to his cheek, she said, "I don't mean to pry, Brother, but what's with your eyes?" Flinching a bit at the sudden question, Haru sat back and smiled sadly. He knew that this would be one of the first things they would address, but it didn't make it any easier.

"It's…my Imperial Arms," he replied, looking down, "I took them so I would be strong enough to tear this damned Empire down." "You're joking, right?" she said, trying to crack a smile, "I mean, I know you can be ambitious, but to take on the Empire? You can't be serious." "How do you think we found you?" he asked. "You were looking for us, obviously." "No, we weren't," he told her, "We're here to assassinate the advisor to Path of Peace's leader. I had honestly believed you and Natsu were dead until last night."

For a moment, Aki didn't know what to say. "…You thought I was…dead?" she said finally, her gaze starting to defocus, "We spent over a year looking for you…and you thought we were dead?" "What was I supposed to think?" Haru replied, concerned about her change in tone and demeanor, "The last time I saw our house, it was burning down. I saw our father's body, and I thought…I thought you had been…" "We had hidden in the basement," Aki replied with a level voice, although both Akame and Haru could tell she wasn't calm, "Mother had just put us down the ladder before closing the door to block the flames. We…heard the scream… and then we heard Father's cry… You thought we were dead?"

The fact that she kept circling back to that was starting to worry Haru, and he glanced at Akame, seeing the same concern on her face. Scowling, Aki reached up and grabbed his chin, turning him back so he was facing her. "Don't look at her, look at me," she said, her voice rising in pitch, "How could you just give up on us? How could you just _leave?_ How?!" Before she could badger him anymore, Akame was at her side and pulling her hands away. "That's enough," she said, "He already told you; he thought you had died. What's the point in-?"

"The point is I didn't know what had happened to you!" Aki said replied, her tears returning, "You had gone to help with the defense, and we never saw you again. I searched the whole town…I searched it twice, hoping you were hiding in one of the buildings. I didn't know if you had been killed…didn't know if any of those bodies belonged to you… I didn't know…" At this point, Aki's anger finally broke. Bringing her knees back up, she buried her face in them and cried openly, sobbing as she started to feel old despair returning. It was almost too much for either of them as Akame looked at Haru.

After a moment, he shifted closer and hugged her again. "It's okay, Aki," he said, "It's okay, Sister. I'm here now." "We were alone for so long," she said between her sobs, her words tearing at Haru's heart, "We didn't know where to go… I spent so long looking for you, and Natsu just tried to hold himself together. He didn't know what to do, what to say… Haru, he…killed people…When we stopped in a small town, they tried to…use me, and…he just…" Sensing that this was a family matter, Akame got up to leave. She touched Haru's shoulder briefly, trying to give him some comfort before she left.

While there was a part of him that didn't want her to go, enough of him preferred that she didn't witness the demons that were undoubtedly about to be revealed. After Akame had left the room, Aki continued telling her brother what she and Natsu had been through since their home's destruction. And it was bad. Haru knew that he hadn't had the best run of luck, but he at least had been fortunate enough to get picked up by the Revolution. Aki and Natsu hadn't had that luxury. They had been cast adrift in a nation that regularly trampled on the weak and helpless, and as Aki continued to talk Haru grew more and more concerned for them.

Aki, for the most part, still appeared to be the girl he remembered. She had always been the curious and protective one, while his brother had been the one to step up and try anything. It was how it had always been; she had been the spark and he had been the fire. But based on her tale, Natsu wasn't the same person anymore. He had become withdrawn and soft spoken, almost numb from his experiences. Haru could only imagine what it had taken for him to kill the men that had tried to violate his sister. Natsu was the kind of person that fought for fun, not for keeps. And now he had blood on his hands and a scar on his mind that would likely never heal.

Listening to what they had gone through, Haru could feel his heart breaking in anguish. He should have been there for them. He had always been the calm, reasonable one; the anchor that kept his sister's dreaming and his brother's spirit in check. But he hadn't been there for them, and they had suffered terribly. Eventually, she came to the part where they met the man with the Demon's Core. "After meeting him, everything becomes…fuzzy," she said, her brow wrinkling, "I just get…flashes. It's like I'm looking at photos of places…I think I've been to…and people I've…killed…" Aki sounded like she was ashamed of these memories, and Haru could understand why.

"That's not your fault," he said, "He had an Imperial Arms that allowed him to control people. Those deaths are on his head, not yours." "But I can still see them, Haru," she said, looking at him and on the verge of tears again, "I can still see their faces…I can hear their screams… I can still… Oh, God…" Clutching her head, Aki started to drift back into sorrow before Haru shook her. "Aki, listen to me," he said, sterner this time, "That wasn't you. I know that wasn't you. You can't blame yourself for what you couldn't control." "How can you be so sure?" "Because I know you," he replied, smiling, "You're not a killer." "But, you are…" she said, looking at him again.

Smiling sadly, he replied, "Yes… I am. I knew I would have to do…certain things when I joined Night Raid. I can't say I'm proud of them." He tried not to sound like he was pleading for forgiveness, but he could feel that something was different. Using his trump card on himself had created an odd side effect. He felt…lighter than he used to. All of the things that had been holding him back, that had kept him from facing himself, had been removed. And now that he was able to truly look at his demons, he felt that he _had_ to deal with them, regardless of the cost.

Sitting back and removing his hand, he continued on. "I've killed a lot of people, Aki," he said, his voice laced with emotion, "I've lied and stolen. I have no doubt that I've destroyed families when I've been forced to kill guards. But above all of that, I've become something less than human. I took this Imperial Arms, and I became like those _things_ that destroyed our home. I… I became a monster, Aki." He couldn't go on after that, he just brought his hand up and covered his face, ashamed beyond words of what he had become.

And Aki could see all of this as plain as day. Her brother hadn't been off living some grand life without them. He had been fighting and suffering alone; putting everything he had on the line to destroy the source of everyone's pain. But he had also been allowing his scars to dictate who he was, _what_ he was. And that wasn't something she could allow. She had allowed Natsu to become withdrawn and depressed, she wasn't about to let the same thing happen to Haru.

Meanwhile, Akame had taken a seat on one of the large couches in the main hall. Seeing Haru's interaction with his sister had stirred up memories of her time with Kurome. She remembered the jobs they had done together, their training sessions as they worked to further improve their coordination and swordsmanship. But most of all, she remembered Kurome's look of absolute joy at being reunited with her after being apart for so long. All of this came to her mind, and Akame found herself wearing a bittersweet smile from it.

She awoke later with a start at the sound of someone dropping onto the far end of the couch. Looking over, she saw that it was Haru and that he looked terrible. "So, how did it go?" she asked, sitting up and turning to him. "…I'm not really sure," he said, his voice sounding thick, "I just spent the last few hours listening to them, and… It's not good, Akame."

Looking around in surprise, she saw that the sun had started to set. She must have drifted off to sleep at some point. "Can I ask…?" she said, not wanting to pry but still willing to help him. "They…" he began before clearing his throat, "The fact that they managed to survive so long on their own is nothing short of amazing. I think they just need some time to really come to terms with what they had to do." Nodding in understanding, Akame could tell that something was different about Haru now. He wasn't usually this talkative about personal matters.

"I… I failed them, Akame," he said suddenly, looking at his hands, "I should have been there, but I wasn't…" "You couldn't have known, Haru," she said, trying to help him. Moving closer, she placed a hand on his shoulder as she continued, "You said it yourself; you thought they had been killed. What good would it have done if you had stayed?" "I could have gotten them out," he replied, sounding angry, "I could have kept them out of harm's way. I could have…done something…"

Thinking there was nothing she could say, Akame almost backed away. _No_ she decided, steeling her resolve, _I've had enough of just sitting back and watching_. "Haru, listen to me," she said, placing a hand on his cheek and turning his head so he looked at her, "You had no way to know. Even if you had stayed, you would still have fallen prey to that man's Imperial Arms. At least this way you were able to save them in the end." "But I-" "I've had enough of you doubting yourself," she said, steel creeping into her voice, "You're a good man, Haru, even if you don't want to see it. Stop tearing yourself up over things you can't change."

Surprised at her sudden change in tone, he didn't know what to say. In truth, he hadn't felt the way he used to when he said those things. Before, whenever he had doubted himself he had felt that it was fully justified. He was a monster that didn't deserve to be anything but miserable. But now that doubt felt hollow and weak, like the excuses of a lesser person that wasn't willing to own up to their decisions. _That trump card really did a number on me_ he thought, smiling. Leaning into her hand, he brought his own up and placed it over top of hers.

"Thank you, Akame," he said, feeling better, "I needed that." For a moment they just sat there, looking at each other and smiling. Akame could tell that, unlike before, he was much more willing to accept the truth. She felt hope at the possibility. Maybe, just maybe, he was starting to see himself as a real person. For a brief moment, they felt something else forming between them. For Akame, it was both thrilling and terrifying. She had hoped to be able to finally reach him, but at the same time there was still a part of her that feared the outcome. For Haru, it was a breath of fresh air. It was more soothing than he thought it would be to know that she cared for him.

After the moment had passed, they separated and went about their day. The others had left the house by that point, heading out to finally take out Borick. While Haru and Akame were a little mad at being left behind, they could understand why it had been done. Haru was still feeling the effects of internalizing his trump card, and still felt drained from the effort it had taken.

Meanwhile, Akame still felt that connection that had been forming earlier. It was like there was a string tugging at her heart, and it was starting to annoy her. No, annoy was the wrong word; it was starting to change her. She had seen that Haru had changed, and that realization had triggered a change in her own mind. _But is it a good change, or something that will cause me to fail?_

After the sun had set, Haru decided to try and prepare some sort of dinner. By now, the anniversary festival was in full swing, and Night Raid was making its move. As Haru fried a few eggs, he finally noticed that Akame was nowhere in sight. Usually, she was either the one preparing the food, or at least in the next room waiting for it. In fact, it reminded Haru a lot of his brother.

Preparing two plates of food, he carried it up to Aki and Natsu while hoping they were doing better. Natsu was much livelier than he was earlier, and his stomach growled loudly at the smell of food. While he had a pleasant conversation with them both, Haru could tell that they still needed time. Natsu might have been much more active, but Haru could practically taste the unease in the room. While part of him wanted to help them work through their trauma, he felt that it was better for them to get their minds in order first.

Heading back downstairs, Haru decided to return to his room, feeling his exhaustion returning. _Note to self; don't EVER use my trump on myself again_ he thought as he opened the door. However, he stopped dead when he saw Akame sitting on his bed. She had been waiting for him while she tried to sort out her feelings. Ever since their conversation, she had been feeling restless, and it had reached the point where she couldn't stand it. Without a word, she gave the spot next to her a pat as he walked into the room.

Taking the hint, he sat down next to her while he tried to figure out what was going on. "What are we, Haru?" she asked suddenly, "Are we just comrades? Friends? Or are we…something else?" He was surprised at this sudden question, and didn't know how to respond to it. "Well… I'm not quite sure," he said finally, knowing that's not what she wanted to hear but unwilling to lie, "I know that we are comrades, but… I know there's something else between us. Something that's much deeper and stronger."

"And what would that be?" she asked. Even though she knew what he meant, there was still a part of her that was…scared. For a while, Haru just sat there in silence. He knew what she wanted to hear him say, since it was what he had wanted to tell her for the longest time, but... "I… I don't know," he said again, "I'm sorry that I can't give you a definite answer. My trump card scrambled my head, and I'm still trying to sort through what's left." "…In that case, I think I know a way to tell," Akame said, blushing slightly, "But, well… You might not like it." "If it will help, then I don't mind giving it a shot," he replied, smiling, "So long as it doesn't involve you hitting me."

Shaking her head as a way of answering, Akame tried to steel her resolve. She knew what she wanted to do, but now that he had agreed to it she found herself hesitating. _Get a grip, Akame_ her inner voice scolded, _this is your best chance to find out where you stand. It's now or never._ Taking a deep breath, she moved quickly. One moment they were looking at each other, and the next Haru's eyes were wide in shock as their lips met. It wasn't much more than just physical contact, but it was definitely more than enough to bring his brain to a screeching halt.

Akame held the kiss for a solid 3 seconds before leaning away, her eyes searching his face for…something. She didn't know what she was expecting to see, but she knew what she _didn't_ want to see; rejection. Meanwhile, Haru was just trying to get his mind working again. _Did that…just happen_ he wondered as he stared at her. "Haru?" Akame asked, his silence concerning. Clearing his throat, he replied, "I… wasn't expecting that." "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have…" she said, letting her head drop, "I should go."

As she moved to get up, Haru acted on instinct. Reaching out, he grabbed her waist with one hand while the other cupped her chin, turning her head so she looked at him. Bringing her back towards him, he kissed her again, longer this time. At first she was surprised, but then she closed her eyes and leaned into him. She couldn't believe how good such simple contact could feel, and she desperately didn't want this moment to end.

But after a few moments they were forced to separate so they could breathe. Staring at her face, Haru could guess that his cheeks had about as much color as hers did at the moment. "Well… That's going to make things a bit more complicated," he said finally, feeling a little short of breath. "I think we passed that point a long time ago," Akame commented, remembering her hesitation when fighting his siblings. And Haru had to admit that she had a point. "So, what do we do now?" he asked, his emotions still in a jumbled mess. Akame thought about it for all of two seconds before she decided to go with her heart. It was high time that she listened to it, anyway.

Grabbing Haru's shoulders, she pushed him onto his back while trying not to laugh at his look of surprise. Planting her knees to either side of his hips, she used her own body to pin him down before bringing her lips crashing into his again. This time, she put all of the passion that she could muster into it. Part of her knew that this was going too far, and that she should stop now. But another part was screaming at her, telling her to forget the logic and go with her heart. And right now, her heart wanted him; to be with him, to express everything she had been suppressing.

After a while, her kisses became shorter and shorter until she was just pecking at his lips. Haru, meanwhile, had brought his hands up to her arms to hold her steady. But it wasn't too long before a pestering thought forced its way to the front of his mind. "Akame, what are we doing?" he asked as he pushed her up slightly. Of course, he knew full well _what_ they were doing, but he needed to know _why_ , and he could tell that she understood the implied question. "Something I should have done a long time ago," she replied, her voice thick with emotion as she caressed his face, "I can't lie to myself any longer. I love you, Haru, and I'm tired of denying it."

It was surprising, to say the least, to hear her admit it. He had known that she had strong feelings for him, but at the same time she had said that she wanted to remain at a safe distance. It made sense; both of them could die at any moment, and neither of them wanted to cause the other pain. He smiled at how foolish they were at the time. They hadn't been making the cold, logical decision. They had been running from their feelings for each other, too afraid of what it could mean for them if they didn't.

"Well, if that's the case, then there's something I should say, too," he replied. Smiling mischievously, he left that hanging for a moment to tease her, and he wasn't disappointed. For a moment, she was concerned what he was going to say. But then she realized he was toying with her and she just glared at him, trying to be mad but unable to keep it up. "I love you, too," he said suddenly before bringing her down again, getting a small yelp out of her as he kissed her again.

For a brief moment, she was shocked. There was still a part of her that was afraid he would reject her, even though she knew how he felt. Smiling again, she returned his kiss as she basked in the warmth of being loved. After a while, he moved away from her lips and started to plant kisses along her neck and collarbone while his hands moved from her shoulders down her back and finally to her hips. Akame, meanwhile, had her own hands exploring every part of his body while she tried to control her rising voice as he traced her figure. Gripped with a powerful desire, Akame decided to take it a step further as she sat up and removed her shirt and bra.

After she had shrugged out of it, though, she seemed incredibly embarrassed at being so exposed. Hoping to calm her fears, Haru removed his own shirt before sitting up and taking hold of her. Kissing her briefly, he kept his right hand at the small of her back while the left one slid up her front to one of her breasts. Her moans turned into a surprised gasp when he pinched her, but it felt too good to try and make him stop. His kisses slowly made their way down her collarbone until they found their way to her other breast. At which point, it was all Akame could do to keep her voice down as he started to tease it.

Finally unable to take any more, she pushed him back down on his back. She was about to return the favor and see how much he liked someone nipping at _his_ chest when she felt something rubbing up against her. Considering where she was sitting, and what she knew of the human anatomy, she realized that it could only be one thing. And that realization caused her to turn a few shades darker, which in turn caused Haru's own blush to get worse as he realized what she was sitting on. For a moment, she was unsure of what to do.

 _I want to be with him_ she thought, her resolve hardening. Reaching down, she quickly undid the button on Haru's pants before pulling them and his boxers down and off. Haru, meanwhile, was a little too stunned by her boldness to do much more than stare at her in shock. But after she had done this, she hesitated, unsure of what to do next as she looked at him. Seeing the question in her eyes, he propped himself up on one arm before using the other to pull her back up to him. "You don't have to force yourself," he whispered into her ear, "This doesn't have to go any further."

It was a kind offer, but Akame realized that she wanted this; to go all the way and make him hers. Shifting her knees so she was up and off him, Akame reached down and pulled her skirt and underwear off before settling back down. Lifting her head up, she snaked one arm up behind him while her other took hold of his member and guided it to her entrance. "I want to be with you, Haru," she said, kissing him lightly, "I want to make you mine. So, please..."

Bringing her hips down, Akame's grip on him tightened as he entered her. Biting her lip to try and ride through the pain, she continued to lower herself, breaking her virgin wall before finally taking the rest of him inside. When he had reached her deepest part, they just lay there for a while, panting. This was a fairly new feeling for them both; Haru had never gone this far with someone he loved, while Akame had never gone this far period.

Rubbing circles in the small of her back, Haru kissed her neck again as he felt her tremble. "Are you okay?" he asked, concerned at her pained look. "Yes," she breathed, "But, I'm not sure I can…" Knowing what she meant, Haru wrapped an arm around her shoulders before rolling them over. Now, she was on her back with his weight and warmth pressing down on her. Somehow, this was more embarrassing and she tried to cover her face as she felt her cheeks growing still warmer. Smiling, he gently pulled her hands away. "You don't have to hide, Akame," he told her as he kissed her, "In fact, I think you look more beautiful when you're this red."

Smirking at him, Akame slapped his chest playfully before pulling him down and kissing him again. When he leaned back up again, he cradled her head with one hand while the other found its way to her hips. After that, he began to move slowly. This caused her to clamp down around him rather hard, as well as gasp at the sudden stimulation and wrap her arms around his back, griping his shoulders tightly. But after a few strokes she started to get used to the feeling, with the previous pain being replaced with pleasure as she started to moan with each movement. After a few more Haru began to pick up his pace, causing Akame to moan louder and move her hips in sync with his.

Finally, Akame felt a pressure starting to build up where he was moving in her. "H-Haru…I feel…something," she managed between moans. Knowing what was about to happen, he leaned down and kissed her again with all of the passion he could muster, pushing her over the edge into ecstasy. She clamped down around him as she moaned into his mouth, her mind feeling like it was going blank. This pushed him over the edge as well. The feeling of him filling her insides seemed to intensify her climax, and she felt her whole body shuddering as more waves of pleasure assaulted her.

Afterwords, they just laid side by side, their arms still around each other as they tried to catch their breath. Looking at her, Haru found that he couldn't stop smiling. His smile, as it turns out, was incredibly contagious and soon Akame was smiling along with him. Shifting closer to him, she kissed him and said, "I love you." In response, Haru pulled her in closer before resting his forehead on hers. "I love you, too," he replied.


	20. Chapter 20

The next morning was…interesting, to say the least. The first thing that Haru noticed was something warm pressed up against him. The second was the subtle smell of spices, and while it was pleasing to him it was also a little confusing. His mind was still half asleep as he opened his eyes to the sight of raven-colored hair. Realizing that it could only be one person, his memories of the previous evening came crashing back, adrenaline making damned sure he was awake now. He had confessed to Akame before sleeping with her, and for a split second he couldn't even believe it.

At some point in the night, she had turned around in her sleep so her back was to him. Haru had responded by wrapping his arms around her stomach and pulling her closer. She had then moved her hands down to intertwine with his, and it was this position that Haru had awoken to. Lifting his head slightly so he could see better, Haru was still trying to come to terms with what they had done. Moving one of his hands up, he gently touched her shoulder as he tried to convince himself that this was real and not just some vivid dream. The warmth of her body was very convincing, and he slowly realized that this was in fact real.

 _We actually did it_ he thought, trying to cement it in his mind. Now that the shock had worn off, Haru felt incredible warmth when he thought about it. Leaning down and kissing her neck, Haru tried to record every little detail of this moment. He was lying with the woman he loved, and that was more fulfilling than he could have ever imagined. In spite of all of the bad that had happened, this one victory made all of the pain he had suffered through worth it.

He was about to lay back down when Akame stirred in her sleep. Blinking a few times, she slowly rejoined the land of the conscious as she shifted her body. The first thing she noticed was an ache down between her legs, followed by the feeling of arms around her. Her instincts kicked in for a moment and her body stiffened, assuming it was some enemy. But then she remembered making love, and she relaxed as she turned her head to see Haru looking at her. "Good morning," he said, smiling at her. "Yes, it is," she agreed, reaching up and touching his chin.

Unable to resist the temptation, she brought Haru down and kissed him. It was still somewhat surprising to her that she had been so bold the other night, and she was sure that she would feel the embarrassment later. But she knew that if she hadn't done something it was more than likely that nothing would have happened, and that wasn't something she even wanted to think about. As they broke away from their kiss, Akame could feel herself heating up again. Her body wanted him again, and for a brief moment she considered listening to it. Instead, she smiled at him again before sitting up and moving to retrieve her clothing.

For a second, Haru found himself admiring her beauty before he shook his head and went to pick his own pants up. It wouldn't do either of them any good if he gave into his base desires now. They still had a job that needed to be done, and he didn't relish the thought of trying to explain any noises to the rest of Night Raid. After they had cleaned themselves up and were dressed again, they made their way out into the main hall. They were greeted by the sight of everyone sitting around and enjoying a large breakfast, and Haru did a quick headcount to make sure that everyone was actually there.

And to his relief, they were all still here. Pulling one of the open chairs out and offering it to Akame, Haru then sat next to her while ignoring the grins Mine and Leone had. He was determined to enjoy this day for all it was worth, and while he wasn't about to come out and admit what had happened, he wouldn't dodge the question if asked. As they enjoyed the breakfast, more of a feast, that Susanoo had prepared, they told Akame and Haru what had happened last night.

Their plan to use Mine and Tatsumi to draw the guards off had worked relatively well, although it had resulted in them fighting powerful opponents. Mine had ended up squaring off with Seryu and Koro, but she had managed to trigger Pumpkin's trump card and defeat them. After that, Seryu had triggered some kind of self-destruct in an attempt to take Mine with her, but Tatsumi had shown up just in time to pull her small butt out of the fire. While Haru felt bad at how things had turned out with the girl, he couldn't fault Mine for putting her life first.

At the party, Leone, Susanoo and Sheele had delayed Wave and Kurome, putting on a show and forcing Borick to flee the relative safety of the palace. Unfortunately for him, he had been fleeing right into Night Raid's trap, and Chelsea (disguised as a guard) and Lubbock had been waiting for him. At that point, his death had been swift, leaving Night Raid to return to the capital to make their final preparations.

"What about my brother and sister?" Haru asked after a while, looking at Najenda, "You don't really expect me to just leave them here, do you?" Najenda remained quiet for a while after that as she tried to decide the best course of action. Haru found that he was surprisingly patient about it; before his fight with the Demon's Core, he would have been restless at her silence. "We aren't going to just turn them out into the cold," she said finally, looking at him, "But we can't take them with us. There's too much to do in too little time to train them properly. I will leave word with one of our supporters here. They will look after them until you get back, or they are well enough to be on their own."

Nodding in thanks, Haru found himself secretly grateful that the boss was taking all possible outcomes into account. Despite how good he felt now, he had to remember that death was a very real outcome for him, for all of them. After that, it was business as usual. They cleaned up after themselves, Haru talked with his siblings briefly, and then they began to make their way back to the capital. Najenda had already sent out word that morning that the job had been completed, and the various groups were already beginning to martial their forces. Haru could just imagine the looks on the faces of the capital's 'leaders' when all hell broke loose.

Thankfully, their trip back was relatively uneventful. With revolts beginning to spring up everywhere, the Empire's forces were too occupied dealing with them to stop and question a group of travelers. But after the first day, Haru noticed there was something different. As they were walking, he was trying to figure out just what it was. He could feel the shift in attitude, but he couldn't quite pin it down. Noticing his look of mild frustration, Lubbock picked up his pace to match Haru's. "So, what's on your mind?" he asked, getting Haru's attention.

"Does something seem…off to you?" Haru replied, looking at everyone again. "Well, now that you mention it," Lubbock said, smiling evilly, "I did notice that you and Akame acted a lot friendlier than you used to." For a moment, Haru didn't know how to respond, and his hesitation was all of the answer that Lubbock needed. "That's not what I meant, smartass," Haru said, ignoring his look of triumph. "Alright, alright, give me a moment," Lubbock said, scratching his head, "Come to think of it, Mine and Tatsumi haven't yelled at each other for a while now."

 _That's it_ Haru thought, mentally slapping himself for not noticing. Hardly a day went by without them arguing over something, and yet now they were being…polite to each other. _What in the hell happened during that mission_ he wondered. Patting Lubbock's shoulder in thanks, he moved to catch up with Tatsumi. "Hey, newbie, let's check out the path up ahead," he suggested, ignoring the look he got. Tatsumi still hated when Haru called him that, although now it wasn't as much as when he first started using the nickname. The two took off into the trees, moving swiftly ahead of the group while keeping their eyes peeled for any soldiers.

After Haru felt like they had gotten a good distance, he slowed down while saying, "Alright, kid, spill it; what happened during that fight two nights ago?" Tatsumi was so caught off-guard that he literally stumbled, almost face-planting into the ground before Haru grabbed his shirt to keep him upright. That reaction, plus Tatsumi's blush, told Haru that it hadn't just been a casual moment of bonding. "Um, well…that's kind of… I'm not sure how I should put this," Tatsumi stammered, trying to regain his composure. "She charmed you, didn't she?" Haru asked, taking a shot in the dark.

Tatsumi's face turning a shade darker was a definite yes, and Haru just sighed and acted like he was frustrated. "I don't know what I should do, Haru," Tatsumi said as he started walking again, "I mean, we fought all of the time before, but now… I can't get her out of my head. Seeing her on the cliff, with the sun coming up behind her… She looked so…" "Beautiful?" Haru offered, knowing what he meant. When Tatsumi nodded with the most hilarious look of guilt, Haru couldn't hold back any longer. He laughed, he laughed hard.

At first, Tatsumi was surprised at his reaction. He had been expecting Haru to scold him for being unprofessional, since he had been keeping his relative distance from Akame for that very reason. But after he got over that confusion, he just glared at Haru. Wiping his eyes, Haru looked up at him again as he tried to contain a few chuckles. "Relax, man. I won't say anything," he managed after a while, "This is a conversation strictly between men, so don't worry about sounding stupid." "I think it's a little late for that," Tatsumi commented, causing them both to laugh.

"So," Haru began after they had recovered, "You and the twerp, huh? Got to say, I did not see that one coming." "It's a shock to me, too," Tatsumi replied, "But… well, like I said. I can't get that image out of my head now." "Don't try to fight it, man," Haru told him, patting his back, "In the end, it's not worth it." "You sound like you're speaking from experience," Tatsumi said, trying to sound casual and failing. "Yeah, about that," Haru said, scratching the back of his head, "Akame and I… Well, let's just say that things developed quicker than I thought they would." "Wait, you actually made a move?" Tatsumi asked, surprised, "Wow, I thought it was going to take you at least another month to work up the nerve."

"It wasn't like that," Haru replied sternly, "It was just… At the time, I was carrying around a lot of guilt, and I knew how it felt to lose a loved one. I didn't want to risk hurting her if I got killed, and she seemed to be thinking the same thing in regards to me." "So, what changed?" Tatsumi asked, genuinely curious. If this could help him work out whatever was between him and Mine with half of the headaches Haru had endured, he would welcome the advice.

"To be perfectly honest, I think it was because I did something incredibly stupid," Haru replied with a small smile, "When we were scouting the graveyard, we ended up in a fight and I got to meet the user of the third Demon weapon. His weapon was more adept at stealth and mind control, manipulating darkness to the user's advantage. When he…infected me with those shadows, they used the darkness of my own soul against me." "Damn…" Tatsumi said, unable to even fathom what that kind of fight would have been like.

"In a bid to get free, I ended up using my trump card…on myself," Haru continued, his memories coming back clearly, "I used it to burn the shadows out of me, and I think I also destroyed a lot of my own darkness in the process." "Wait, you mean to say that you destroyed pieces of your own soul?" Tatsumi asked, stopping and looking at him. "Honestly, I don't really know," Haru said, heaving a sigh, "Maybe I finally made peace with my past, or maybe I burned up parts of my soul to get free. In the end, I'm not really sure I care. I feel better now than I have since my home was destroyed, and now Akame and I have each other. That alone is worth any damage I may have suffered."

They continued walking in silence after that, and for a while Tatsumi didn't know what to make of their talk. Had it been him, he would have been really concerned about the idea of burning up his own life to win a fight. But then he saw the look on Haru's face, and he wondered if he would have felt the same. He looked a lot more peaceful now than he used to, and the way he talked about Akame was different, too. Before, he had used the same tone as when he talked about the others, but now there was an emotional undertone that hadn't been there before; compassion, and genuine love. He clearly meant it when he said that she had been worth the pain, and Tatsumi wondered if he would ever reach a similar point with Mine.

It took them another two days after that to make it back to the capital. Even without entering the city, they could tell that the advisors and commanders were nervous about the revolts; the guards at the various points of entry had tripled since they had left, and the number of patrols in the outer districts had also increased sharply. Haru was definitely not looking forward to having to infiltrate the city now, even though he knew they would have to. Najenda wanted them to relocate to their hideout inside Lubbock's book store and had gone ahead to get them a way into the city. Meanwhile, she had ordered everyone else to return to the old hideout and grab what they would need.

After a few hours of walking, Haru found himself back in his room and packing what he needed. His bag consisted of some spare clothes, his blindfold, sword sharpener and what knives he still had. Taking another look around, he felt reluctant to leave this place so soon. It had become more of a home to him than he thought possible, and knowing that the next few days could be his last made him hesitate. Walking over to the bedside table, he picked up the charm that Leone had given him what felt like ages ago. She had been a lot more aware of how things were going than he had initially assumed, and he pocketed the charm as he went to grab his bag.

At this point, he saw Akame standing in his doorway with a small smile. "Having second thoughts?" she asked, since she had seen his hesitation. Sighing, Haru replied, "Yes, I am. This place feels like home, in spite of everything. I'm not sure I'm ready to give that up just yet." She understood what he meant; they had all lived and laughed here, and it was hard to leave all of those good memories behind. Walking over to him, she put her hands around his shoulders and said, "We will live through this, Haru, and make ourselves a proper home. I promise you." "I'll hold you to that," he said, leaning in and kissing her briefly.

Grabbing his bag, he went back outside to wait as the others finished packing. As it turns out, Chelsea and Lubbock were the only others that had finished by that point, and they were sitting under the trees and enjoying the weather. Walking over to Chelsea, Haru dropped his bag and sat down with her. He had something he needed to ask her, anyway. "So, how are you doing?" he asked after a bit. "I'm fine," Chelsea replied, smiling, "I'm not as attached to this place as you guys, and I didn't really bring a lot with me." "I noticed," Haru said, pointing at her single bag, "Although, I still can't believe that's all you need for a few days." "Not all girls are high-maintenance, matchstick," she said, punching his shoulder.

"Okay, okay, I get it," Haru said, laughing softly, "Listen, there's something I've wanted to ask you. What's happening with you and Tatsumi?" "Well, nothing now that he's taken, whether he knows it or not," Chelsea said, smiling sadly. Haru was a little shocked at that reply. He had assumed she would have wanted to fight for him, but maybe he had overestimated her affection. "And you're okay with that?" he asked, just to be sure. "I know when to cut my losses, Haru," she replied, looking at him, "I may like him, but I don't think it's anything more than a passing crush. Besides, you've seen how he and Mine act; they're perfect for each other."

He had to agree with her on that, although he still felt like Chelsea was getting the short end of the stick. Still, he was in no real position to give out romantic advice, so he just kept his mouth shut as they waited. It took the rest of them less than half an hour to pack and meet up outside, and they made their way back to the capital in relative silence. Although, this time Akame made it a point to stay near Haru. She was starting to feel very protective of him, and she found that this feeling was growing stronger the closer they came to the end. As if sensing her growing unease, he reached out and took her hand, entwining his fingers with hers. While she felt her cheeks growing warmer at the contact, she didn't break away. Instead, she just gripped his hand as they continued on.

By the time they had gotten through the patrols and made it to Lubbock's store, night was already falling. Since their hideout here was smaller and less equipped, they got to settle with a small meal. It was at this point that Najenda decided to drop a pair of bombs on them. "We're going to be scouting out possible entrances to the palace grounds tomorrow," she said after everyone had eaten, "We have a less than a week before the Revolutionary Army will arrive, and we need to be prepared." "So, who gets to go where?" Haru asked, already dreading what he was about to hear.

Lighting a cigarette, Najenda continued, "Leone, Mine and Chelsea will follow up on some information we got from some engineers that work in the upper districts. Akame, Sheele and I will be heading out to take care of a problem with our communications with the Revolution. Finally, Lubbock, Tatsumi and Haru will make contact with an informant up on the royal grounds." "Wait a moment," Haru said immediately, "Is that really a good idea? They know my face up there." "They know your general description," Najenda replied, pulling a new blindfold out of a pocket. While his old one was brown, this one was a dark green.

"Wear this and keep your head down, and you should be fine," she told him, "You're not entering the actual palace. Our contact lives in one of the houses on the grounds for their important staff. Besides, I need my master of destruction there in case something goes wrong." "Well, I can't argue with that," Haru mumbled, taking the new blindfold. It was made of the same fabric as his old one, so it wouldn't be all that different. "One other thing," she said before everyone got up to leave, "This place wasn't built with large numbers in mind, so we only have five rooms."

Everyone did that math rather quickly, and they all came to the same conclusion; they were definitely going to have to double-up. "Okay, so who goes where?" Tatsumi asked, trying not to glance at Mine. Haru could tell that the kid was torn between asking her to pair up for a private conversation, and possible death from the embarrassment such a request would bring. "Well, I know the boss is going to get a room to herself," Leone said, "I'm sure Chelsea and I can share a room just fine."

Planting one hand on Haru's shoulder and the other on Akame's, she continued, "And I'm sure these two wouldn't mind sharing a room, either." Akame's face went beat red at that, while Haru just stammered as Leone smiled sweetly. The others, meanwhile, were laughing with various levels of enthusiasm at this. They had all figured out by now that somehow they had gotten over whatever had been stopping them from being truthful. In the end, Lubbock and Tatsumi got stuck together, while Mine and Sheele took their own room. And Akame and Haru got stuck in the last room, something that Haru had conflicting feelings over.

On the one hand, he was still incredibly embarrassed at what had just happened out there. But on the other hand, he felt a bit better at getting the same room. To be honest, he was also starting to feel anxious about what was coming. He was about to walk into the lion's den with nothing but Lubbock's wires, Tatsumi's armor and his flames to keep them safe. And while he was confident in their fighting abilities, he knew that it would only go so far against superior numbers. Shaking his head to clear it, Haru walked over and started to unpack his bag, completely unaware of Akame's own reaction to their situation.

She had gotten over the initial embarrassment quicker than he had, but it had been replaced by a new kind all too quickly. They were intentionally sharing a room now. It wasn't like that night back in Kyoroch, when it had just been a spur of the moment thing. They had chosen this, and she would be lying if she said she wasn't a little excited about it. Lost in her own thoughts, she didn't notice when Haru walked up next to her. Placing a hand on her shoulder, he gave her a gentle shake to bring her back to reality. "If this is where you want to sleep, that's fine," he said when she looked at him, "But I think the bed is more comfortable."

This just caused them both to blush, with Akame looking away and suddenly feeling awkward. This was all too much for Haru, and he stepped closer and hugged her, laughing softly as he did so. That was all Akame needed, and she hugged him back briefly before heading to unpack her own things. They then got to spend the next hour and a half sharpening their swords so they would be prepared, and Haru went through his dwindling collection of knives. He had 10 of them left, and he wouldn't be getting a chance to replenish them any time soon so he would have to make them count. He also only had 6 of his shots left, and those were arguably more precious.

After that, they then got to try to sleep, which was still a little awkward. At first, they just lay on separate sides of the bed, trying not to glance at each other too much. But after laying there for almost half an hour, Haru decided _screw it_. Looking over, he saw that Akame had turned away and was facing the wall, so he figured this was as good a time as any. Rolling over and moving a bit closer, he put his arms around her waist, spun her over and pulled her in closer. Akame gasped at this sudden movement, and she tried not to look him in the eye as she fought down the blush. Instead, Haru just kept his grip and rested his forehead against hers.

"H-Haru…" she said, trying to keep her emotions in check. "Relax, I'm not going to try anything," he said, laughing softly and kissing her forehead, "Besides, you need to relax if you're going to actually sleep." She wasn't so sure that lying with him like this was going to actually calm her down, but Akame decided she didn't have anything to lose at the moment. Putting her arms around him, she pulled herself in closer, smiling. It still felt incredibly good to hold him like this, and to be held by him in return. To her surprise, this did actually serve to steady her nerves somewhat. They were both able to sleep rather well, and they awoke to the smell of bacon cooking. Well, to be more specific; they woke up to the sound of Akame's stomach growling at the smell of food.

Their morning was rather somber as compared to the night before. Mine, Leone and Chelsea had already gone out to complete their task, while Sheele had been waiting patiently for Akame and Najenda to wake up. Lubbock was also awake, and he looked an odd combination of excited and nervous. Haru could understand what his friend was feeling; while his Imperial Arms was undoubtedly dangerous, it was more specialized for stealth attacks and traps. And if things went bad for them, they would be stuck in a stand-up fight against God knows how many guards.

Finally, after pounding on Tatsumi's door and waiting as the kid gathered his things and ate something, they started to head out. Walking up the stairs to the bookstore, Haru felt someone grab his arm. He wasn't surprised to see that it was Akame that had stopped him. Without saying anything, she put a hand on his cheek and kissed him. "Be careful," she said when she broke away. Taking her hand and giving it a squeeze, he replied, "I will." And then he was up the stairs and gone, heading to the one place that none of them truly wanted to go just yet. But they would need to know what they were up against, and they would also need several ways to get into the palace once the fighting started. But of course, none of them knew just how much that information would cost them.


	21. Chapter 21

As they made their way towards the upper districts, Haru had to admit that as uncomfortable as the smaller hideout might be, it sure beat the hell out of having to infiltrate the city every time they went on a mission. They had passed three patrols in the span of two blocks, and every time he was nervous that one of the guards would recognize him. However, the fact that they made it to their destination without being stopped proved that his face hadn't been put on a wanted poster. While he was grateful for that, he was also very suspicious about it. He couldn't think of any reason Esdeath would have had to keep his allegiance a secret.

Shaking his head, he tried to banish those thoughts as they arrived at the meeting point. The woman they had made contact with had been the daughter of the Emperor's teacher, and she had become the go-between for the Revolution and the various officials in the Imperial Court that opposed the Minister. When he had heard that there were still dissenters in the royal court, Haru was suspicious at first. He had assumed it was just some elaborate scheme to lure out any _real_ dissenters. But these men and women had proven time and time again that they were honest in their conviction, and as a result he was rather excited to meet them. They had been fighting a battle every day to remain unknown while they gathered what information they could for the rebels, and he respected them for that.

He was not a fan of their plan to get onto the palace grounds, however. The three of them were going to have to hide on one of the food carts heading to the kitchens. He couldn't speak for the other two, but Haru felt every bump in the road as he tried not to sneeze from the flour he was hiding behind. Tatsumi, ever the lucky bastard, was using Incursio's invisibility to remain ready near the cart's gate in case they were discovered. As for Lubbock, he got to hide behind several stacks of cheese rolls while keeping them upright. If Haru hadn't been so worried about the possibility of death, he probably would have found this incredibly funny.

After a grueling hour of keeping quiet as best as they could, the cart finally came to a stop. Breathing a sigh in relief, Haru then waited for their contact to return. Sure enough, they heard her talking briefly with several men before she came up to the back of the cart. "Okay, the guards have stepped away," she said, lifting the flap and motioning them out, "We need to move quickly."

He didn't need any encouragement as he got out from behind the flour bags. They were then forced to sneak around and through several buildings before they finally got to her property. Once they were inside the main gate, they all breathed easier and slowed their pace. "Well, that's got to be one of the most interesting ways I've infiltrated someplace," Haru said, brushing some stray powder off his arm, "Though definitely not the weirdest."

"You had something worse?" Tatsumi asked. He had removed his armor a while ago, and he looked glad to be rid of the excess weight. "We had this one job about a week before we met you," he explained, smiling at the memory, "There was this one man that worked in a local morgue, and he made a lot of money selling body parts. Lubbock and I had to play dead to get inside, and I can tell you that coffins are _not_ comfortable." That got a laugh out of Tatsumi, while Lubbock just grimaced at the memory. It hadn't been his favorite job by a long shot.

Rounding the main house, Haru saw the large property this woman owned. The back patio opened up to a large, well-kept yard with a small collection of trees to one side. It was a beautiful piece of property, and Haru found himself marveling at the small flower garden. It was clearly cared for, since he couldn't spot a single plant aside from the intended roses, bluebells and lilies. Even through his blindfold, his interest was obvious to their host. "That was my mother's garden," she said, walking up next to him and smiling sadly, "She used to spend hours out here fussing over them. I remember she would get so mad when she saw so much as a blade of grass growing with them."

"You said 'was,'" Haru noted, turning to her, "Was she…?" "When my father was framed and imprisoned, my mother spoke out against it," she told him, refusing to meet his gaze, "She was locked up, too…" "I'm so sorry," Haru said, putting a hand on her shoulder, "We're going to get them out, I promise you." She just nodded before leading them out into the yard. Apparently, today was one of the few days where all of the officials would have enough free time to meet with them. While they were taking an incredible risk gathering all together in one spot, they were willing to risk it to help Night Raid infiltrate the palace.

 _So we get to spend almost an hour talking with a bunch of politicians_ Haru thought as they approached the shed where they would meet, _can't wait to hear what they will want in exchange for their help_. Noticing his friend's mood, Lubbock came up behind him and smacked his back. "Don't worry about it," he said, practically reading Haru's mind, "We'll be in and out in no time, and then you can go back to your girlfriend." "Don't make me hurt you, Lubbock," Haru said, trying to sound mad. Of course, it didn't work and he just laughed it off.

When they got to the door, the woman knocked on it several times before waiting for a response. And none came; no answering knock or verbal challenge was issued. Years of instinct kicked in as Haru's senses when into overdrive. Reaching back and resting his hand on his sword, he slowly turned and scanned the area around them. Lubbock and Tatsumi, meanwhile, had noticed the small amount of blood leaking from under the door. "Oh, this can't be good," Tatsumi said, drawing his sword. When Lubbock kicked in the door, they were assaulted with the stench of freshly killed corpses. The officials were all dead, slaughtered and scattered about the room.

"We need to go," Haru said, grabbing the woman's arm. Before they could even take a step away, the bodies began to glow. Haru recognized the same kind of explosive trap that Stylish had used with his own soldiers, but that didn't save him from the blast. It tore the shed apart, sending the four of them flying across the yard. Pulling the woman in and wrapping his arms around her, Haru managed to take most of the blow from the landing for her, although it hurt like hell to do so.

When they came to a stop he released her and slowly got up, feeling a lot like hammered shit. "Okay, are you guys still breathing?" he asked, getting to his feet. "Well, if you are, then you're going to wish you weren't shortly," said a familiar voice from behind him. Turning around, Haru saw that they had company; a lot of company.

While most of them appeared to be guards, a group of them wore cloaks and where holding spears. But it was the two men out in front that got his attention. The one on the left had white hair and dark skin, and the look in his eyes made Haru's skin crawl. The other one was taller and more muscular, with blonde hair and rather elaborate armor on parts of his body. Haru could sense the power coming from these two, and knew right off the bat that they were Imperial Arms users. He also knew that people this obviously powerful would be a handful, even for the three of them.

He noticed out of the corner of his eye that Tatsumi and Lubbock had tensed up, ready for these guys to attack. Laying his hand on his sword, Haru decided he would be the voice for the group. "So, who are you two supposed to be?" he asked, trying to sound bored. "You don't need to worry about this old man," the white-haired guy said, waving his hand, "I am Shura, and I'm here to put all of you vermin in your place." "Wait, Shura? As in Onest's son, Shura?" Haru asked, shocked. Shura just nodded with a smug smile.

"Well, damn," Haru said, looking at Lubbock, "Looks like I owe you some money." "What are you talking about?" Shura asked, finding the fact that he was being ignored annoying. "Well, you see, Lubbock and I had a standing bet," Haru said, looking at him and smiling, "He bet that Onest was a human, while I figured he was just some sick creature in a human's skin. But you're clearly human, so I guess I lose." Judging from how the guy's face clouded over, insulting his father was one of his buttons. "You're going to regret that," he growled. Waving his arm at them, he sent the spearmen at the three Night Raid members.

Tatsumi summoned Incursio and quickly put himself between them and his friends, only to be swept aside when the larger man moved. He had discarded his cape, revealing a pair of bracers on his arms with large cylinders. "I am your opponent, rebel," he said, smashing his fists together and sending arks of electricity flying, "My Adramelech will pass judgement on you!" With that, he charged again and pushed Tatsumi further back. Haru would have gone to his aid, but the spearmen were on top of him in the next moment. The first swipe just grazed his temple, severing his blindfold and hurting a bit but doing no real damage.

He and Lubbock quickly fell into a pattern; Haru would deflect the attacks and send them back, while he sent his wires out into their surroundings, weaving his own traps in preparation. It worked wonderfully, until Shura decided to step in. "You all back away," he said, withdrawing a vial from his pocket, "They're mine." Jabbing himself in the neck with it, he smiled and continued, "You know, you can get some pretty good stuff here in the capital. Now, let's see how well your little tricks work against my Shamballa!"

"Wait, Shamballa?" Haru said, feeling the pit of his stomach drop away. He didn't even have time to shout a warning before Shura teleported right between them. With a swift kick, Haru was sent flying away while Shura spun around and punched Lubbock right in the chest. Rolling and coming up on his feet, Haru swung around with one of his knives out. "Zündung!" he cried, throwing it with all his strength only to watch Shura teleport away again. Before he could even regret the fact that he had missed, Haru felt a fist in his gut and the air leaving his lungs as Shura hit him again. Staggering back a few steps, he wheezed as he fought to stay upright.

"Got any other smart remarks, rat?" Shura asked, smiling evilly. "Yeah, you punch like a child," Haru said, standing up and glaring at him, "Now how about I show you some real power? Thýella!" Flames leaped into life around his feet, swirling and growing rapidly. However, Shura just teleported away again before leaning back against a tree, smiling smugly at Haru's display of power and looking a little bored. "That all you can do, Demon's Sight?" he taunted, stretching, "I figured you would be more of a challenge than this." "I'll show you a challenge!" Haru said, igniting his sword.

He sent a wave of fire at the trees, slashing through them and setting them ablaze. But once again, Shura just dodged the attack with that annoying smile still plastered to his face. This didn't deter Haru as he continued to lash out, and he had quickly scorched a decent-sized area while he kept the fire at his feet alive. _As long as the ground I'm on is on fire, he can't get near me_ he reasoned as he lashed out again. "Alright, this is getting boring," Shura said, sighing, "I expected you to be more entertaining than this after watching what you did with my toys on that island." "Those Danger Beasts were your doing?" Haru said, shocked.

"Of course they were! And it was so entertaining watching them rampaging around," Shura said, laughing, "But it was even more entertaining watching you and your friends scrambling around, trying to kill them." Before Haru could tell him what he thought about _that_ particular statement he had teleported again. This time, he appeared in the air right in front of Haru in mid spin. He just barely had enough time to bring his arm up to defend before Shura kicked him and sent him crashing into the flower garden he had been admiring earlier. Shaking his head to clear it, Haru got back on his feet and took a moment to stop the world from spinning. "So, that's your idea of fun, is it?" Haru said, preparing for the next round.

"You should know something before this goes any further," Shura said, crossing his arms, "If you keep boring me, you're going to end up like that other toy." "What other toy?" Haru asked, confused. Shura just pointed behind him, and when Haru turned around he inhaled sharply. The woman that had brought them here had been pinned to the ground with one of the spears. "She wanted to save her family so bad that she sold you and your pals out," Shura said, and Haru could practically hear the grin in his voice, "Such a stupid little toy; she didn't know that they had died a long time ago. But she was useful, so that's something, I guess."

"…That's how you think of people?" Haru said as he turned back around, one hand moving to the pouch at his back, "As toys?" "Of course they are! All of the people in this Empire are my toys!" Shura exclaimed, putting his hands up as if celebrating, "And once I succeed my father, the very throne will be mine and this entire Empire will be my plaything! It will be glorious!" Taking a deep breath, Haru decided that he had had enough. Pulling a booster out, he shot himself in the leg, saying, "I cannot allow something like you to exist." "What makes you think you're in any position to kill me?" Shura asked, "I laid marks all over the palace grounds _and_ in the air. There's no way you can hit me, and there's nowhere you can run."

"Is it ready, Lubbock?" Haru asked, ignoring the brat in front of him. Stepping out from behind a tree, Lubbock replied, "It took longer than I thought it would since that bastard wouldn't stay put for long, but yes, it's ready. One of them is in front of you, at eye level." Reaching out, Haru grabbed onto the nearly invisible wire. "This ends it, you pathetic excuse for a human being," Haru said, his eyes smoldering, "Verbrennen!"

The golden fire lept to life at his command, traveling along both ends of the wire rapidly. Shura didn't seem too impressed with this whole display. "Congratulations, you're destroying your friend's weapon," he said, crossing his arms, "Is that supposed to be a threat?" Haru just smiled coldly as the fire continued on. After a few feet the flames split down several paths, weaving through the trees before the real show began. One of them stopped in the air, triggering a purple glow before reappearing across the field. While it continued on its way, both ends of that connection glowed brightly for a second before bursting into balls of flame.

 _That_ got Shura's attention as he watched these flames crisscrossing across the field and sky. "What is this?" he said, his voice starting to shake, "What the hell did you do?!" "You never noticed, did you?" Haru asked as he continued to feed energy to the growing net of fire, "I would never lash out that openly without a reason. While you focused on taunting me, Lubbock was weaving a net around you, throwing out and attaching wires to you when he could." "It wasn't too hard to figure out where you would go," Lubbock said, staring coldly at Shura, "You shouldn't have been so obvious with your movements. You always teleported to where you were looking, and the distance was fairly regular."

"You think this is enough to stop me?!" Shura said, bringing his Imperial Arms out, "Did you forget about all of the marks I placed? I can just outrun your stupid little flames." "Normally, you could," Haru admitted, holding up his empty vial, "But this booster gives me enough strength to keep this fire alive for a while. Since it's so small compared to most of my attacks, I figure I could keep it alive for a few hours before running out of strength. How about you?" Shura just looked pissed off, glancing around as he tried to figure out a way out of this trap. All the while, Haru's flames continued to weave a net around him, burning away his marks as they closed in to consume him.

"If that's how it's going to be," Shura said, bringing his Imperial Arms up. Before either of them could react, he had teleported in front of them. "Then I'm taking you with me!" he finished, bringing his fists forward and hitting them both. Haru knew that Lubbock's wires would protect him from the blow, but he could feel several ribs crack from the impact as he flew back. Rather than let them land, Shura pursued them. But in his haste, he left himself open as he focused on Haru first. He didn't see Lubbock's spear before it was too late, but he did feel it go into his back.

"Two pieces of advice for you, freak," he said, reaching out towards Shura, "First; never turn you back on an enemy. And second; never threaten the life of someone's best friend." Before he could reply, Lubbock clenched his hand into a fist, dicing his heart instantly. Haru watched as the life left his eyes and he collapsed without a moment to spare. In spite of his boasting, Haru could feel the booster starting to wain as he started to get back up. Maintaining his trump card for such a long time was a lot more taxing than he thought it would be. He was stopped short, however, when Tatsumi's unconscious body flew in from the side and crashed into him.

Rolling the kid off of him, Haru checked him for a pulse and breathed easier when he felt one. He was obviously hurt, since he had lost Incursio, but he was still alive. The guy he had been fighting, however, didn't seem to have taken any damage in their fight as he walked over. "I hope you're ready to face your judgement," he said, looking between Haru and Lubbock, "Surrender now or be taken prisoner, either way you're coming with us."

"Please tell me you have a plan," Lubbock said, inching closer to Haru, "I'm not too eager to try that trick again." "Well, I do have a plan," Haru admitted, shifting his position so he was on one knee, "But you won't like it." "What, am I going to have to play dead?" he asked, already preparing himself for it. "You're going to have to run," Haru said, channeling all of his strength into his left hand as he set it on the ground. Before he could argue the point, Haru put all of his power into the ground, crying, "Zündung!" as he caused a massive explosion around them.

"What the hell are you doing?" Lubbock asked, coughing from the dust and dirt. "Go now," Haru told him, tossing him his boosters, "You've got a few seconds, maybe, to get clear. Use the waterways and get back to the hideout." "But what about you?" "I'll be fine," Haru told him, feeling his strength fading, "I couldn't escape now, even if I wanted to. Besides, I think there's someone that needs to have a word with me. Now, go!"

Lubbock hesitated for a moment, torn between helping his friend and getting out so he could report what had happened. With a grimace, he chose to run, dashing through the cloud without looking back. Haru breathed easier, thankful that he had gotten away. In truth, he had no way to know what Esdeath would do once he was captured. Assuming they would capture him after killing the minister's son. He was torn from these thoughts by a large boot connecting with his stomach, knocking him back and leaving him gasping for air.

"I bet you think that was clever," the big man said as he stood near Haru, "Kicking up a dust cloud to give your comrade time to escape. But I assure you he won't make it off the palace grounds." Haru just smiled up at him as he felt himself passing out. If he had any regrets about how this turned out, it was that he wouldn't be returning to Akame for a while.

Hours later, Lubbock managed to return to the hideout through the back door. He was soaked, shivering, bruised and pissed off. He couldn't believe they had been suckered so easily, and he felt guilty that he had used Haru to get away. _No, I didn't use him_ he told himself, _he wanted me to go. At least this way I can get him out_. As he walked through the door, he peeled his coat off and slung it over his shoulder as he made his way down into the hideout. He was definitely not looking forward to delivering this report, and he hoped that Akame wouldn't be there.

When he got down into the main room, he saw that Najenda's group had in fact returned from their mission first. Akame looked at the door expectantly, waiting for Haru to come back. But no one was following him, and she looked at Lubbock in confusion. Not knowing what else he could do or say, he walked over and placed Haru's bag in her hands without meeting her eyes. "I'm sorry," he whispered. "No…" she said, clutching the bag, "Don't say it… don't tell me he's…"

"No, he's alive," Lubbock replied, "We got ambushed, and he bought me time to escape. By now, he and Tatsumi have been locked up in the dungeons." While it was a relief to know that Haru was still alive, it was in some ways worse to know that he had been captured. The Empire wouldn't treat two rebels with anything resembling decency, and she knew it. Turning around, she grabbed Murasame from where she had left it before turning back to the door. But before she could get more than two steps a metal arm stopped her.

"And where do you think you're going?" Najenda asked. "I'm going to get them back," she replied without looking at her, "I'm not leaving Haru to rot in some hole." "You go out there now, you're just going to get killed," Najenda told her, "We need to come up with a plan first. We have the time." "And how do you know that?" Akame asked, her voice trembling. "Because I know Esdeath," she replied, turning away and pulling out what maps they had of the palace and dungeons, "She won't just kill him outright, and she will keep Tatsumi around in case he proves useful as leverage. Regardless, that gives us a day, two at most, to come up with a plan to get them out."

While her heart was screaming at her to go out and bring Haru back, she knew that Najenda was right. Rushing in would just waste her life, and while she felt like she would die for him, she didn't want to test that just yet. Turning back around, she helped Najenda lay out the maps and blueprints as they began to plan ways to get in and out. Almost an hour later, they were interrupted when Mine came barreling down the stairs with a wadded-up poster in her hand.

"How could you?!" she demanded, rushing up to Lubbock and glaring at him, "How could you let those two get taken prisoner?" "How the heck did you figure that out so soon?" he asked, surprised. "Because of this!" she said, opening the poster so they could all see it.

'In response to their many crimes against the Empire and its people, the traitorous members of Night Raid known as Tatsumi and Haru have been sentenced to death by public execution tomorrow in the grand arena.'

"They decided that faster than I thought," Najenda said, taking the poster and looking at it closer, "Clearly, the minister wants to send the Revolution a message." "But we're not going to let that happen, right?" Mine said, looking between her and Akame. Leone just walked up behind her and rested a hand on Mine's head. "Don't worry, shorty, we'll get your man back in one piece," she said, smiling. "He's not my man," Mine mumbled in protest. She didn't want to let it show, but she was seriously worried about Tatsumi. As often as they had fought before, he had always been there for her before. It felt wrong not to have him there now. "Don't worry, Mine," Akame said, looking determined, "No one is getting executed. Not if I can help it."


	22. Chapter 22

Cracking one eye open, Haru slowly made his way back to the land of the conscious as he looked around the room he was in. Bare, cold stone walls and solid metal bars told him all that he needed to know; he was a prisoner. Rolling onto his side, he slowly pushed himself up while trying to fight off a vicious headache. He was mildly surprised to find that he hadn't been shackled, but then they had to know the nature of his powers by now. Even with metal cuffs, he could burn his way through them with enough time, and the same could be said for the rest of his cell.

But then, he knew they had Tatsumi captive as well. And knowing the Empire like he did, Haru was sure that any misbehavior on his part would likely have bad results for the kid. So, he would have to play along with whatever they had in store for him, at least for now. He could already think of a few ways this could go, and all of them involved the torture chambers. Getting up and walking around his cell, Haru tried to see if there were any weaknesses he could exploit quickly if he needed to. But the walls were smooth, and the bars were all firmly attached to the stone.

 _They could have at least left me a deck of cards to pass the time_ he thought as he dropped back onto the cot. As if summoned by these thoughts, Haru heard someone walking down the hall to his cell. It took him all of two seconds to place the sound because of the echo, but he soon recognized the sound of a familiar pair of boots approaching. _Well, this is going to be fun_ he thought as he stood up again.

Sure enough, Esdeath walked into view and stopped before his cell, staring at him coldly. "Been a while, huh?" Haru said after a few moments of silence. There wasn't any point in mincing words now; she held his life in her hands, and they both damned well knew it. "I have to say, I'm surprised she would send you, of all people, onto the palace grounds," she said, "But I'm glad she did. It gave us a chance to talk again." "I'm not sure what there is to talk about," Haru replied, crossing his arms, "I'd like to think that letter summed up my position."

"Oh, it did," she said, reaching into her coat and pulling it out. "'I can't tell you how much it means to me that you would protect me and those dear to me. It's more than most people have ever considered offering me,'" she read, "'But if it will cost me everything I've stood for then what will be the point if I live? I know that you love me, but I can't betray who I am. I won't allow this Empire to continue to abuse its people, even if it costs me my life to change it.' Should I go on?" "You should just do what you came here to do," he replied, "Throwing my words back into my face won't work now. I'm set on this path, regardless of where it leads."

"As you wish," she replied. In one move, she crumpled the letter before forming a simple ice sword and cutting through the bars. She stepped swiftly into the room before holding the point of the blade at Haru's throat. "Now, you will answer my question," she said, making it clear there was no room for debate, "Why would you throw your life away for the weak? I want the truth, not some half-assed excuse."

Haru took a moment to actually think about his response. Why was he willing to die for this? He pulled in everything he had learned from Night Raid, all of his experiences, everything he could think of as he tried to come up with a definite answer. "I can't say my reasons now are the same as when I began," he said finally, "When I first joined the Revolution, it was out of anger. I hated that the Empire had taken away our only defense just to put down a rebellion they had given birth to, that they had allowed my home to be burned down. I was only concerned with striking back, and I didn't care how. But now…"

Taking a deep breath, he tried to organize his thoughts properly before he continued. "But now, I've seen how badly the people suffer, and I've learned it doesn't matter how strong you are," he said, meeting her gaze, "It's how you _choose_ to use your strength that matters. The Empire chooses to use it to oppress its people, you choose to use it as an excuse for your actions, and I have chosen to use it to protect those that can't protect themselves. That's all there is to it."

"So, you've made up your mind, then?" she said, lowering the blade, "Then I guess there's nothing more to be said." Turning and walking back out of the cell, she let the blade shatter and disappear in a cloud of mist. "You should know," she added, "It's been decided that you and your friend will be executed publicly. I've volunteered to carry out the sentence myself." "I can't say I'm surprised," he replied, smiling slightly. Before she walked completely out of view, he added, "I'm sorry, Esdeath, truly." She just hesitated for a moment before nodding, and then she was gone.

After getting transferred into a new cell, Haru dropped onto the cot and stretched out, trying to get what rest he could. Either Night Raid would come for them during the ceremony, at which point he would need as much strength as he could muster to help them fight their way out; or his life would end, in which case there wasn't much point in worrying. _Never thought I'd be this okay with dying_ he thought, smiling at the notion. Of course, he wasn't exactly happy about it, not after the last few days. But if it happened, he could say that he had done his best and gone as far as he could. Closing his eyes, Haru slipped into a deep sleep quickly.

The next day, he was waiting in a room somewhere below the arena's floor. He could barely make out any details about his surroundings thanks to the dim lighting, although he knew that Tatsumi was there with him. "You alright, newbie?" Haru asked, shuffling around in his chains. "I'm still in one piece," Tatsumi replied, "And stop calling me that." Haru could tell from his tone that he was hurt, but it probably wasn't too bad. Tatsumi was nothing if not durable. "Tell you what," he said, "When we get out of this, you tell Mine the truth. Then, I'll drop the nickname. Deal?"

He could practically feel the heat from Tatsumi's blush, and Haru tried not to laugh. "You sound so sure we're going to live," Tatsumi replied, trying to change the subject. "Yes, I am," Haru said simply, "And you're not getting out of this one. Do we have a deal, newbie, or not?" After giving it some more thought, Tatsumi answered hesitantly, "F-fine, we have a deal." Haru just smiled in triumph as the door opened and several guards entered the room.

A few minutes later, they were both bound to large metal crosses. Haru had to admit that it was fairly effective, since he could only move his head. "So, this is it, huh?" Tatsumi asked suddenly. "If it is, then it's been fun, Tatsumi," Haru replied, "I'm just sorry I couldn't get you out of there, too." "Don't sweat it," Tatsumi replied, trying to sound upbeat, "It was my own fault for getting beaten. Besides, we're not dead yet, right?" While Haru had to admit that he was right, that pessimistic voice in his head couldn't help but disagree.

 _We've been captured by the enemy and sentenced to death_ it said, making Haru scowl _this place is going to be like a fortress during the ceremony. Night Raid won't risk everything just to save two people; there's too much at stake._

 _Maybe Night Raid won't_ Haru shot back, trying to strangle the damned thing once and for all, _but Akame will_. He knew that she would be determined to get him back, and nothing short of an army would stop her from doing so. But while a part of him wanted that to happen, there was another part that hoped she would have the sense to stay away. It was very likely that she would be killed in the attempt, and if his freedom was bought with her life… He didn't know what would happen, but it wouldn't be anything good.

Suddenly the platform they were on began to rise, the ceiling splitting open to reveal an almost cloudless sky as well as the dull roar of the crowd. In spite of everything, there were still people that supported the Empire in the capital. As far as they were concerned, two notorious criminals were about to receive what they deserved. When they were finally brought to ground level, he was mildly surprised at the size of the crowd. "Well, this will be interesting," he said. Of course, he didn't expect Tatsumi to reply; hell, _he_ could barely hear what he had just said over the noise.

After a few moments, the crowd gradually quieted down to a dull murmur. At which point Haru noticed that someone was moving at the covered seat in front of them. At first, he had thought it was Esdeath coming down to finish them, but then he noticed a very recognizable man standing to one side of the chair. _If that fat bastard is here, then that means the Emperor himself is attending_ Haru realized, glancing at Tatsumi. They shared a telepathic moment, both of them realizing the true scale of their situation. If Onest had brought the Emperor down from the palace for this, then he was very confident that the security in place could stop anything, including Night Raid.

"Citizens of the Empire," the Emperor began, his voice carrying surprisingly well considering his age, "Lately, there have been those that would instill fear into your hearts while spreading preposterous rumors about taking down the capital. However, there is no need to lend your ears to such rabble-rousing! Today, we execute members of the rebel group Night Raid, which have been one of the major sources of such terror and lies. They are the rebel army's vanguard, the source of the chaos that we now suffer from. No one has the right to threaten the lives of our citizenry, or threaten the peace we live in. The Empire, this capital, is indestructible! And today, we will prove it!"

Giving the crowd a moment to cheer, he looked down at the condemned. "Do you have any last words, criminals?" he asked. Even though he couldn't see the kid's face, Haru could imagine the look of contempt on his young face. "Yeah, I want a do-over!" Haru replied, projecting confidence, "I'm being sentenced to death by a naïve child that's pretending to be a ruler and a fat coward that couldn't fight his way out of a paper bag. Do you have any idea how insulting that is?"

Tatsumi glanced at Haru in surprise, but then he understood what was happening; he figured this would be their end, so why not spit in the face of their executioners? One last act of defiance, even if it was just verbal. He grinned as Haru continued, "So are we going to get on with this, or are you going to stand up there and babble on about your 'indestructible Empire?' You can't really believe that to be true anymore; even a child isn't that stupid." "Silence!" "I mean, you have to know how far gone it is," he continued, ignoring the 'Emperor's' command, "We're taking your fortresses faster than anyone has before. Your own governors are siding with us over you! I give it a day, two at most, before our army is at your doorstep. So go ahead and kill us! It will just give you two more crimes to answer for."

It was at this point that a bolt of electricity shot out from behind the chair, hitting Haru square in the chest and hurting like hell. _Of course_ he _would be here_ Haru thought as he tried to breathe again. He had had enough time to realize that the man that had taken them was Budou, the capital's highest-ranking general. But he had said what he had needed to, so there wasn't much else to do besides wait. However, they didn't have to wait long.

The door just to the side of the throne opened, and Esdeath walked out into the field with her sword in hand. She moved confidently, never breaking her stride or gaze as she moved closer. Finally, she came to a stop before the two men, and for a brief moment Haru thought he saw indecision in her eyes. But it was gone in an instant as she moved to stand before him first. Bringing her sword up so the point was just over his heart, she looked up at him briefly. "I don't blame you," he said, answering her unspoken question, "If you want to do me a favor, just make it quick."

She nodded in affirmation, bringing the blade back as she prepared to cleave his heart in two. She would have been lying if she claimed that she didn't still harbor feelings for him. In a way, she was still in love with him, even more so after his little speech. But he was forever out of her reach, and she knew that now; she had realized it when they had spoken in his cell. He was determined to see this through to the end, and no amount of promises or threats from her would dissuade him from his path. And so, she would do the only thing she could; she would make his end as quick as she could.

And then her sword was in motion, the strike smooth and precise as she moved to end him. It was flawless, right up to the point when a large energy bolt impacted the platform they were on, throwing Esdeath's aim and causing her to look up in surprise. Large chunks of stone were blown away, and the crowd was sent into a frightened frenzy as they tried to get away. Looking around in confusion, Haru tried to figure out just where the shot had come from.

"Tatsumi, you idiot!" Mine shouted, standing up from her position on the arena's overhang, "I don't remember giving you permission to die. We still haven't had our talk yet!" "About damned time you showed up, pipsqueak!" Haru shouted, grinning madly. "I _can_ shoot you from here, matchstick!" she fired back as she took sight and sent the guards scurrying for cover. At the same time, the manta they had used a while back came soaring over the stadium, with several people jumping from it as it made a close pass of the stands. Haru spotted a familiar green, yellow and purple, and his spirit soared in response. Right up to the point where Budou moved into action.

The Emperor had long since escaped with Onest, leaving him to deal with these rebels. Leaping down to the ground, he pointed both arms at the sniper and let loose a large lightning bolt, destroying her perch and sending her plummeting for the stone seats. "Mine!" Tatsumi called out, struggling against his restraints as he watched her fall. Thankfully, Leone was quick on her feet and able to catch the girl before she would have been smashed into bits. Looking back at Esdeath, Haru tried to read her intentions. She glanced at him and Tatsumi briefly, and he could tell she was weighing her options. The decision was made for her when Susanoo landed in front of her and charged, bringing his pole-arm around in an attempt to knock her down.

She was understandably surprised by this sudden attack and leaped back while dodging the big man's strike with a smile. This left Tatsumi and Haru alone on the platform and still bound to their crosses, looking on helplessly as the other members of Night Raid engaged the guards. Najenda had dropped from the manta to back Susanoo up as they tried to keep Esdeath busy, while Leone and Mine squared off with Budou. That left Lubbock and Sheele to handle the guards that had moved in to help, and to say it was a one-sided fight would have been an understatement.

"Damnit, we have to help them!" Tatsumi said, struggling to free himself, "Can't you do something about these?" "Sure I can," Haru replied as he stayed still, "But I would be useless afterword. Focus on conserving your strength, newbie. They'll get us down when there's an opening." Tatsumi just grit his teeth and growled in frustration as he tried to work his way free. He couldn't just sit there while Mine took on that monster! He had taken Tatsumi down one-on-one, and his armor was a hell of a lot sturdier than Mine's dress. Sure, she had Leone backing her up, but it wasn't much against someone that wielded lightning.

Meanwhile, Esdeath had decided to try to end her fight spectacularly when she summoned her massive ice ball. Susanoo managed to get Najenda and himself out of the way before it hit, but the thing's sheer size made it impossible to outpace its effects. It hit the ground and kept going, causing a third of the arena to collapse into the lower rooms and trapping Najenda and Susanoo with Esdeath down below. Haru glanced down at the platform they were resting on, and he could already feel the shifting weight. They didn't have long before he and Tatsumi would join them in that pit, and the fall would likely be very painful, if not lethal.

"Haru, Tatsumi! Hold on!" they heard from behind, and Haru sighed in relief. It was Akame's voice, and judging from the volume she was close by. Sure enough, he felt the restraints around his feet and hands cut seconds later. Dropping to the ground, he looked up to see Chelsea standing over him with his sword and booster bag in hand. Akame had Incursio in her other hand as she worked to free Tatsumi from his bindings. "Thanks," he said as he took them back, feeling better now.

Turning to Akame and Tatsumi, he said, "Tatsumi, you need to head down and back up Susanoo. Akame and Chelsea, I think Lubbock and Sheele might need some help. I got the big guy." "What?" they both said, rounding on him. "You think I'm letting you go up against him alone?" Akame demanded. "I'm not just standing back and letting him wail on Mine!" Tatsumi exclaimed before turning to help her. Grabbing his shoulder, Haru stopped him from doing something foolish. "Think about it, Tatsumi," he said, "You've already fought him, so he knows what you can do. Besides, he's using a pure element, and we both know the best way to match that is with another element."

"I'm still not letting you go alone," Akame said, looking determined. "I'm not alone," he replied, smiling, "I have Leone and Mine for support. Besides, we're going to need a serious opening to retreat through, and I trust you to handle it." They both glared at him as they tried to find a flaw in his logic, and they really couldn't. Before they could try to protest again, Haru rushed off with his sword in hand. Chelsea had long since decided that Haru was right and had taken on a disguise suitable for her needs. Huffing in annoyance, Akame moved to back her up while Tatsumi summoned his armor.

Haru showed up at his chosen fight right as Budou brought a lightning bolt down on his head, throwing Leone back and leaving her twitching on the ground. Sensing that she was out for the immediate future, Haru moved in just as Budou closed on Mine. She brought Pumpkin up and fired almost at point blank, which threw him off-balance slightly. But it wasn't enough to stop him outright, and his fist impacted her square in the chest, sending her flying back into the wall with a sickening thud. Before he could move in to finish her, Haru sent a wave of fire between the two. "Alright, old man," Haru said, taking his stance as Budou turned to him, "My turn; Zündung!"

Sending out a pair of slashes, Haru forced Budou back and away as he moved to check on Mine. He didn't have much time, however, as Budou sent an electric bolt at him. Haru had all of two seconds to come up with a plan, and he raised his hand as he commanded, "Thýella!" He formed the fire into a rough dome, and it was able to deflect most of the energy. Although, he still felt a tingle along his arm that bordered on painful. Kneeling down next to Mine, he was mildly surprised to find that she was still conscious and was fighting to get back onto her feet. "You alright, shrimp?" he asked as he felt another bolt of electricity hit his shield. He had a few more seconds at most before the strain of keeping this barrier up would become a serious risk.

"I'm f-fine," she managed, panting as she stood back up, "Why are you interfering? This is my fight." "This bastard hurt one of my friends, and damned near killed another one," Haru replied, "That makes it my fight, too. Now shut up and listen." He quickly explained his plan, and Mine had to admit that as crazy as it was, it did have a decent chance of success. Nodding in agreement, she brought Pumpkin up and prepared to fire as Haru charged again. Reforming his shield into a fire blast, Haru used the heat shimmer and light as cover while he dodged to the right.

Budou, expecting Haru to use the attack as cover, blew it to pieces with a lightning bolt before preparing himself for a head-on attack. The kid had been nothing but reckless and predictable so far, and he saw no reason it would change. Except that it had. Instead of coming in behind the fireball, Haru attacked from Budou's left. He still saw Haru in time to bring his gauntlet up and block the blade, but it was a near thing. Refusing to give him a chance to counter, Haru launched a flurry of blows as he tried to push Budou back.

"You're persistent, I'll give you that," Budou said as they fought, scowling at him, "But this isn't anywhere near enough to beat me." To prove it, Budou lashed out with one of his arms, knocking Haru's sword back and leaving him wide open. He knew the blow was coming, but it still hurt like hell when Budou's electrically-charged first smashed into his side and sent him skidding across the ground. Sucking a breath into his bruised lungs, Haru looked up just in time to throw up a fire barrier to protect him from a lightning bolt. _I need to hurry this along, and quickly_ he thought as he got back onto his feet. Grabbing a syringe from his bag, Haru jabbed it into his leg with one hand while the other reached out towards his barrier.

Sending it out in a massive wave, he used it as cover while he advanced again. Halfway through his charge, he noticed someone was running beside him, and he smiled at the familiar presence. "Need a hand, matchstick?" Leone asked, giving him a predatory grin. He just grinned back as they split apart when Budou blew the flames away. They had shared a moment of telepathy, coming up with a plan on the fly as only two comrades could. Moving first, Haru came at Budou head on with his blade at his side.

Staring at him in contempt, he dodged the attack while he shot Haru with yet another lightning bolt, sending him flying again. But this time, Leone was behind him. Grabbing his boot as Haru flew past, she planted her feet and spun around, turning the momentum from the attack to their advantage as Haru came at Budou again. This time, he was moving much faster, giving the bigger man less time to react. In fact, he was in the middle of moving aside when Haru struck the gauntlet on his left arm.

Landing on his feet, Haru slid a little ways as he turned back to face Budou. "And now it's finished," he said, bringing his sword up. "And what makes you so sure?" Budou asked as he charged his gauntlets again. But this time, after two seconds of charging it became clear that something was wrong as the electric arks went out of control. "W-what did you do?" Budou demanded as he tried to regain control. "You're the first person I've seen use a two-part Imperial Arms," Haru replied, smirking, "I assume there's a reason it's like that, so it's also likely that if one part is damaged, the whole thing goes down."

Stepping to the side, Haru said, "Now, Mine!" The bolt passed Haru's chest by inches, hitting Budou square in his breast plate and causing it to shatter. He staggered back a few steps from the impact, but unfortunately it hadn't done much more than singe his shirt underneath. "That's it?" he said, glaring at the two, "That was your plan?" "Well, yes and no," Haru replied, pointing at the burn, "I learned through my fight with Shura that if I keep my trump card's flame small, I can keep it alive much longer."

It only took Budou a moment to realize what he was implying. Haru had loaded Mine's gun with a miniature version of his golden fire, and she had just shot him with it. "That was well played, boy," Budou said, smiling coldly. Haru just sent as much energy as he could into the flame, causing it to leap to life and consume the man. It was a rather unceremonious end for someone of his standing, but Haru wasn't in much of a forgiving mood at the moment. Looking around, he saw that the others had managed to force the surviving guards to retreat for now. Things were looking up, all the way up to the point where Mine doubled over, coughed up some blood and collapsed.


	23. Chapter 23

_Shit, shit, shitshitshitSHIT_ Haru thought as he rushed over to Mine, Leone right on his heels. Rather than coming to a conventional stop, Haru dropped to his knees and slid the last foot before rolling Mine over and checking her for a pulse. She was still breathing, but it was only barely. "Hey, Mine, don't fall asleep on me now," he said, shaking her shoulder, "Stay awake, you hear me? Hey, Mine! Stay awake!"

Opening her eyes, she blinked slowly before looking at him and smiling weakly. "Hey, Haru," she said just above a whisper, "Can you get Tatsumi for me? I need to tell him something." The fact that she was using his proper name was enough of a red flag for him. "Yeah, fat chance of that, shrimp," he said, pulling another of his boosters out, "I'm getting you to a doctor. So grit your teeth and stay awake, damnit, or I'll come over there after you and drag your tiny butt back." Before she could protest, he jabbed the needle into her leg and hit the button. The drug took effect quickly, and Haru could see her eyes light up and hear her breathing becoming a bit clearer.

"Leone, take her," he said as he got back up and sheathed his sword, " I'm not going to last much longer, and we need to move quickly." She just nodded as she scooped her friend up, and together they dashed up the stands before making their way out of the stadium. Outside, it was utter chaos as the guards fought to regroup. Glancing behind him, Lubbock noticed Leone and Haru coming out of the entrance and could tell something was wrong right away. Unweaving the barrier he had been using, he sent the wires out in a wide net and ensnared several guards at once before dicing them. This gave Haru and Leone the perfect opening, and they took it.

Thanks to the general panic caused by the people that had rushed out of the stadium, they were able to disappear rather quickly as they made their way to the lower districts. As they ran, Mine drifted in and out of consciousness, and Haru grew concerned when the labored breathing returned. It also wasn't good that he could feel his own booster starting to run thin in his blood. He had a few minutes, tops, before he would have to give Leone directions to continue on alone. As if sensing his weakening state, Leone jabbed him with an elbow. "Hey, stay awake, matchstick," she said, trying to smile, "We're going to be fine." He just nodded in reply, too focused on putting one foot in front of the other to talk.

After what felt like hours, they found themselves at Garrick's clinic. Leaning on the door, Haru knocked with what strength remained before standing to one side, panting. He was already starting to fade, and he could tell that Mine wasn't too far behind him. The color in her face was starting to drain, and Haru found himself praying for some kind of miracle. Thankfully, Garrick was at home, and he opened the door only to stumble backwards in surprise when Leone barged into the room. He was about to fire off some smart-ass remark when he saw the state Mine was in, as well as Haru's exhaustion as he came stumbling through the door and closed it. "Help her," Haru managed before his vision went black and he collapsed.

Back at the stadium, the rest of Night Raid was scattering after the successful rescue. After making his way to one of the side streets, Tatsumi ran into Akame as she was heading for the waterway. "Akame!" he said, getting her attention as he caught up to her, "Did you see Mine get out?" "No, I didn't," she replied, her own concern clear. She hadn't seen Haru escape, either, and it was starting to eat away at her. And she could tell that Tatsumi was having mixed feelings about potentially leaving someone behind. "We should try to find Lubbock," she said, turning to continue on, "Haru went to help Mine, and he knows Haru the best. He will know where they went."

"Somehow, I doubt that he knows Haru the best," Tatsumi said, smiling when Akame's cheeks turned darker. She decided to remain silent rather than risk commenting as they moved through the side streets. And as luck would have it, they found Lubbock a few minutes later. Although, it would be more accurate to say that he found them. As they rounded a corner, with Tatsumi in the lead, Lubbock barreled right into him and sent them both down onto the cobblestone.

"Damnit, Tatsumi, watch were you're going!" Lubbock said, sitting up and rubbing his head. Tatsumi, meanwhile, just remained on the ground as he tried to make the world stop spinning. "We're trying to find Haru," Akame told him as she helped Lubbock to his feet, "Did you see him escape?" "Yeah, I saw your boyfriend," he replied, causing her to blush again, "He was with Leone and Mine, although she looked like she was hurt pretty bad." "What?" Tatsumi said, suddenly alert and upright, "How badly? Where did they go?" "Slow down," Lubbock said, holding his hands up, "If I know Haru, then he would have taken her to his doctor friend in the lower districts. I was actually on my way there to check."

"Then what are we standing around here for?" Tatsumi demanded, turning to leave, "Let's go!" Akame and Lubbock followed, with Lubbock smiling at Tatsumi's back. "He's head over heels, isn't he?" he asked Akame, receiving a nod in response. "Was Haru hurt?" she asked. She knew that it was incredibly selfish of her to just be concerned for his wellbeing, but she couldn't help it. Lubbock could tell she was worried, and he just nudged her before smiling. "Relax, he was still in one piece when I last saw him," he said, "Besides, it would take something big to put him down."

She hoped he was right, but she knew that Haru had a bad habit of pushing himself too hard. As they made their way through the streets, Akame noticed a shift in the mood around her. News about their interruption of the execution was spreading quickly. From what she could tell, all of their previous actions paled in comparison to it. They had just challenged the Emperor, his closest advisors and strongest fighter, directly and had come out alive. She could practically taste the tension in the air as they realized that the capital's power was starting to wane. If they couldn't stop a handful of rebels, then what would happen when the rebel army arrived?

The next few days would be interesting for them as the lower districts began to rebel. Shaking her head, Akame forced those thoughts away as she tried to focus. After an hour of walking and dodging patrols, they finally made it to Garrick's clinic. By this point the sun was already starting to set, and both Akame and Tatsumi were hoping that they wouldn't have to spend the night. Taking the lead, Lubbock walked up and knocked on the door while the other two tried to wait patiently. When the door was finally opened, it was by a surprised Leone who then broke out into a mad grin.

"Well, look what the cat dragged in," she said, stepping to the side and snickering at her own joke. Lubbock humored her while Tatsumi and Akame moved past them into the main room. The first thing they noticed was Haru sitting in a worn chair, passed out and breathing evenly. "Damnit, girl, what part of 'I need a hand' didn't you understand?" Garrick asked from one of the side rooms. "Oh, right!" Leone replied, rushing over, "Sorry, Doc." "Yeah, yeah, just hand me that knife," he grumbled. Rushing over, Tatsumi went white as a sheet when he saw Mine, unconscious and being worked on.

"What happened to her?" he demanded. "Back off, kid," Garrick growled, causing Tatsumi to take a step back, "She's going to live, but only if I can focus. Now please, everyone shut up." Tatsumi obeyed without question, although he still looked nervous as hell about Mine's condition. "Come on, Tatsumi," Lubbock said, taking his shoulder and steering him for the door, "We're going to need to stand guard." Tatsumi just nodded numbly as they waked out the door.

Meanwhile, Akame had gone over to check on Haru, wondering if it would be better to wake him up or let him sleep. "If you're just going to stand there, take him into the other room," Garrick told her as he grabbed a needle and lighter, "He'd be better off in a bed." For once, Leone didn't have some smart remark, since she was too focused on helping keep Mine alive. Nodding, Akame gently draped one of Haru's arms around her neck before she took him into what a sign generously called the 'post-op room.' It took her a bit, but she finally got him onto one of the beds before setting his sword and bag to the side. Noticing it felt lighter than last time, she opened it and did a quick count. It wasn't good by any stretch; he was down to three of his shots, which made little sense to her.

 _There were five left when I got it yesterday, so how…_ she wondered before something came to mind. He had clearly used one during the fight, and he may have been driven to use a second one to keep Mine stable enough to get her here. Placing a hand on his head, she smiled bitterly as she felt some tears coming to her eyes while saying, "You really are a good man." Taking one of the chairs, she pulled it over to his bedside and sat down while taking Murasame off of her hip.

Almost an hour later, Leone entered the room and laid a bandaged Mine down on the other bed. She was still very pale, but the steady movement of her chest indicated that she was still alive. Garrick entered the room some time later with a lit cigarette in his mouth. "Will she be alright?" Akame asked, getting up. "'Alright' isn't what I would choose to describe her condition," he replied, letting a big puff of smoke escape, "Most of her lower ribs were broken or cracked, and she had a bone fragment in one of her lungs. Add to that the general internal trauma from whatever the hell hit her, and I'd say she's damned lucky to be breathing."

He waited a moment to continue, taking another long drag on his cigarette before letting more smoke into the room. "I removed the bone and closed up the cut," he told them as he walked over and opened a cabinet, "I also applied what binding I could to make sure her ribs mend properly. My professional recommendation is that she not be allowed to get out of bed for a week, at least. But then I know what you people do for a living, so I figure these will help." Taking out two bottles, he tossed them to Leone before saying, "That's a general pain killer and a minor accelerant for healing. The later of those is something that is supposed to only be given to soldiers, and it has some wicked side-effects if you take too many."

"Thanks, Doc," Leone replied, smiling. "Yeah, yeah," he said, scratching his head before pointing at Akame, "Before I forget; you're coming with me." "Why?" she asked, instantly on guard. "For a check-up," he answered, heaving a sigh. Leading her back into the examination room, he gestured to the examination table while walking over to the desk. Akame briefly noted that it was the same room Mine had been in, but the sheet on the table had been changed with a clean one. _He may be gruff, but at least he works professionally_ Akame thought as she sat down and waited.

It was fairly routine; he checked her eyes, hearing and blood pressure before treating a few of the nastier cuts on her arms, legs and face. As he was applying the disinfectant to one on her cheek, he asked, "So, how long ago was it?" "How long ago was what?" she replied, confused. "Listen, missy, I've done this job for almost 40 years now," he said as he finished up, "I've treated more than my fair share of young women, and do you know how many of them have lied to me about this?" "I'm still not sure I-" "Alright, let's try a different approach," he interrupted, stepping back and stubbing his cigarette out on the table, "Have you experienced a sudden loss of appetite, or strange cravings? Have you been feeling tired for no reason, or found yourself having to go to the bathroom multiple times?"

With each question, Akame could feel her cheeks growing warmer. She knew what he was hinting at, but a part of her mind was still raging against the possibility. "H-How?" she managed after a few seconds, her voice cracking. "Like I said, I've been at this a while," he replied, taking a chair and almost looking sympathetic, "Also, I burn a special incense in this office since I'm tired of people lying about it right up to the point where I operate. Its effects are mild, but it's the reason why your pupils are more dilated than normal. So, back to my first question; how long ago was it?"

"F-four days ago," she answered hesitantly, trying not to die from embarrassment. "You should know that I'm still bound by doctor-patient confidentiality," he told her, trying to put her at ease, "Nothing we talk about goes past these walls unless you want it to. So, it hasn't even been a week, then?" "No, not really," she replied, "Is that a bad sign?" "Not usually," Garrick told her, "Some women are just faster on the draw, so to speak. Also, these symptoms will continue for quite some time, so be prepared for that. I have some medicine to help with the nausea, but that's about all I can offer without risking some negative effects."

As he got up to retrieve the medication, he stopped and turned back to her. "I don't suppose you've told anyone?" he asked. When she shook her head, he just sighed. "Well, I'm not going to force you, but it wouldn't be a bad idea," he said as he opened a cabinet and pulled a small bottle out, "And while my recommendation would be to avoid strenuous activity, I doubt you would listen to me." Shaking her head, she replied, "I have to keep Haru safe, and it's even more important now than before." "Alright, then I guess we're done here," Garrick said as he handed the bottle to her, "If there's anything you need, or you suspect anything, don't hesitate to stop by. Now then, please send in lover boy from outside."

Akame had to smile at his name for Tatsumi as she left. After poking her head outside to call him in, she resumed her place next to Haru's bed while doing her best to ignore Leone's smile. "So, what did the Doc want?" she asked, trying to sound casual. "It was just a check-up," Akame replied, "He's just being thorough and making sure we're all fine." "So, your 'situation' is under control, then?" Leone asked, smiling sweetly. Her grin just got wider when Akame's face went beat red. "H-how?" Akame asked, unwilling to try to deceive the older woman. "I heard you...clearing your system this morning," she replied, her smile going from evil to comforting, "And besides, I knew something was up when you ate only one plate of food the night before."

"Does anyone else…?" Akame asked, her blush finally under some kind of control. "Nope, just me," Leone told her as she got up and walked over. Putting a hand on her friend's shoulder, she continued, "I guess the question is; do you want anyone else to know?" "I-I'm not sure," Akame told her, looking down, "I'm…scared, Leone. What if…what if he gets mad at me? Or scared?" She couldn't help asking these questions, since the possibility was now very real in her mind. This also meant that Akame was surprised when Leone started to laugh. "I'm sorry, but that's just too rich," Leone said, giggling, "Haru, scared? I don't think there's such a thing. And I've seen him get mad, so I can guarantee that you could handle it. Besides, why would he get mad at you? He loves you too much."

"You really think so?" Akame asked, starting to feel a bit better. "I know it," she told her, squeezing her shoulder, "And I'm willing to bet this will make him love you more. So tell him, Akame." "Tell me what?" Haru slurred as he came back to consciousness. Sitting up, he wiped at his eyes and yawned, giving the two girls a few moments. Akame just sat there in stunned silence, praying that he hadn't overheard the whole conversation. Leone, meanwhile, seemed to teleport away, since the moment Akame blinked she was on the other side of the room and pretending that the view out of the window was fascinating.

Then the moment was gone, and Haru was looking Akame in the eye. "Hey there," he said, smiling, "I'm glad you got out okay." "S-so am I," she replied, cursing herself for the stutter, "How are you feeling?" "Better after that nap," he said, looking around, "How's Mine?" "She's fine," she told him, gesturing to the other bed, "She's probably too injured to fight, but she's going to be alright." "That's good to hear," he said, looking relieved, "So, what was it you're supposed to tell me?" "Uh…" Akame said, hesitating as her emotions raged. On the one hand, she knew that Leone was right and that Haru wouldn't be anything except understanding and caring. But there was also that little pessimist that kept worrying that things would go wrong.

And it was the pessimist that won out. "Right, I should tell you that Tatsumi is here as well," she said, "And he'll probably want to have a word with you about Mine." He could tell that there was something else bugging her, but he wasn't about to push it. He was still exhausted, and it looked like they were going to be spending the night at the clinic. Rolling off the bed, he got up and felt a wave of pain as what felt like every nerve in his body got scraped by sandpaper. _Yeah, that's going to smart for a while_ he thought as he walked around the room. It helped a bit, and by the time Tatsumi entered the room Haru didn't feel like he was walking on pins and needles.

Seeing Mine bandaged up and on the bed, he hurried to her side instantly. "I-is she?" he asked, almost not wanting to know. "Relax, newbie," Haru said, walking up and slapping his back, "The shrimp is more durable than I am, and that's saying a lot. Just give her some time to rest." Nodding, Tatsumi took one of the chairs and planted himself at her bedside. He wasn't about to leave her again, not as long as he was still breathing. Figuring someone would need to stand watch, Haru motioned Akame to follow him as he walked towards the door. Passing through the waiting room, they heard muffled complaining from the examination room, and Haru figured that it was Lubbock's turn for a check-up.

Taking a deep breath of the night air, Haru felt his head clearing up much quicker than before. "So, what was it you really wanted to tell me?" he asked as he scanned the streets. After the day's events, it didn't look like people were too eager to be out at night. The tension was almost palpable, and it was enough to make him feel nervous. If there was anything that he and Akame needed to work out, he would prefer that it be done now instead of after everything kicked into high gear.

For a while, Akame just remained silent as she tried to come to a decision. "Haru, can I ask you something?" she said finally as she tried not to meet his eye, fearing it would reveal her inner turmoil, "You love me, don't you?" "Of course I do," he replied without hesitation, looking surprised. Walking over to her, he put an arm around her shoulders and asked, "Whatever it is, you can tell me, Akame. It won't change anything." Deciding to just go for it, she took a deep breath before turning to him. Taking one of his hands for comfort, she looked him square in the eye and said, "I'm pregnant."

The silence was almost stifling as his brain tried to make sense of those words. "You're pregnant?" he repeated, trying to find his footing again, "I… You're sure?" When she nodded, he took a breath and closed his eyes, willing his mind into order. "It was only once," he said, looking at her again, "I may be good, but one time? How is that possible?" "Maybe the timing was just right?" she offered, trying not to break down right then and there, "Garrick said that it's not unnatural for it to happen so fast, but he did hint that it was unusual." "Unusual how?" Haru asked, instantly on guard.

"I-I'm not sure," she said, stepping back and hugging herself, "Maybe it has something to do with my training. The conditioning they put us through, the drugs they used. Maybe it has something to do with the fact that we're both Imperial Arms users. Or maybe he was right, and my body is just 'quick on the draw.' I honestly don't know." Looking at him again, she felt the tears starting to flow as she continued, "I'm scared, Haru. I don't want this to… I don't want to lose you over…"

He understood what she meant well enough. Stepping forward and wrapping his arms around her shoulders, he pulled her in as she started to cry softly. "It's okay, Akame," he said, "I'm not going to run off over something like this. I don't think it's fully sunk in yet, but I'm sure that once it does this will be a happy memory." Pulling back so he was looking at her again, he said, "I guess this makes it official now, since we're about to become parents." That was…something that she hadn't really considered. _Parents_ she thought, still unable to fully comprehend it.

"We're…going to be…parents?" she said, trying the words out. And sure enough, they sounded just as real as when Haru had said it. Smiling at her, he rested his forehead on hers, saying, "I never knew I could be this happy." Putting her arms around him, Akame smiled and closed her eyes, enjoying the moment as much as she could. "I love you so much," she said, figuring she could afford to gush, but only a little. Laughing softly, Haru kissed her briefly. "I love you, too," he replied, his exhaustion forgotten.

The rest of the night passed rather uneventfully, but the next morning was rather interesting. Haru had spent the night on the floor after convincing Akame to take the bed. When he woke up, it was to the sound of Mine and Tatsumi arguing, again. "For the last time, I'm fine!" she said as she struggled to get up. "And for the last time, no you're not!" Tatsumi shouted back, pushing her back down, "You're nowhere near healed yet, so stop being so stubborn and rest!" "I don't need you to take care of me!" "Clearly you do, since you can't get in a fight without getting beaten up," he said, finally calming down, "Why do you have to keep fighting me on this? I just want you to get better, so please…"

For once, he was able to take the wind completely out of her sails. Looking at him in stunned silence, she wasn't able to stop her cheeks from turning a light pink. "W-Well, if you put it like that, then I guess I don't have any choice," she replied as she moved to lay back down, "But don't get too used to this, newbie!" The use of his nickname brought his promise to Haru back to mind, and Tatsumi felt his own face growing hotter as he thought about it. Haru could read the room pretty well at that point. Thankfully, Leone had gone out with Lubbock to stand guard, and Akame had woken up not long after he had.

Taking her hand, he motioned to the door and they left Mine and Tatsumi alone. They would need the privacy. After checking in with Garrick, Haru got a small list of things that the man would need for the coming days. "I won't pretend to know what you all have planned," he said as he handed them the list, "But I'm guessing that it's all going to come to a head in the next few days. I can also guess that there's going to be a lot of hurt people, regardless of your intentions. So, I'm going to need some supplies. Consider it a down payment on your tab, Haru."

Accepting the list, they checked in with Lubbock before heading out, learning that Leone had gone back to the hideout earlier to check in with Najenda. "Oh, Haru, there's one more thing," he said before they walked off, "Tatsumi told me last night, so I figured you'd want to know as soon as possible." "Know what?" Haru asked, not knowing how much he would regret knowing. "Su's…Susanoo is gone," Lubbock told him, looking down, "He stayed behind to hold off Esdeath while Najenda and Tatsumi escaped."

 _That_ was a serious blow, and Haru needed a moment to fully come to terms with it. Judging from the way Akame squeezed his hand, she needed it, too. The big man had always seemed indestructible; hell, the first time they had met, he had _proven_ he was damned near it. "Thanks, Lubbock," he replied before heading out. He needed something to take his mind off of this. _Two of us have died, and almost twice that have nearly died_ he thought, trying to keep his emotions in check, _how much more death is it going to take to put an end to this?_

Little did he know that his question would be answered shortly as they came upon a public display. Several people had been 'tried' and executed as sympathizers for the Revolution. One of the bodies had a strange series of marks carved into it, and while Haru paid it no mind, Akame seemed very interested in it. She stared at it for a few moments, cementing it in her head as she interpreted the message. "Akame, what is it?" he asked, sensing something else going on. "It's Kurome," she replied, looking at him with sad eyes, "She wants to meet me… to end this."


	24. Chapter 24

Looking at Akame, Haru tried to come to some other conclusion about what she had said besides the obvious. "She wants to end this?" he repeated, searching her face for some sign that this was a lie. Without saying a word, Akame just turned and continued towards the markets. During their entire trip collecting the supplies Garrick would need she ignored his attempts to question her. She knew this was coming, had known for a few days now. With the Empire on its last leg, Kurome would be feeling anxious. She would want to finish their business before the final confrontation, regardless of the cost.

And Akame agreed with that sentiment. This was something she had been putting off for far too long. If she was ever going to have a life with Haru, she would need to settle things here and now. And so, instead of telling him it would be alright, instead of lying to the man she loved, she decided to remain silent. She knew he wouldn't understand her desire, not this time, and she didn't want him to suffer needlessly. This was her burden, and she would bear it.

As they were heading back, Haru's patients finally gave out. Taking one of her arms, he steered them into an alley so they would at least have some privacy. "Akame, talk to me, please," he said, taking her shoulders and looking her in the eye, "Tell me you're not going through with this." "I can't," she replied, looking back at him, "I betrayed her, Haru. I turned my back and left her behind. Now, I have to pay for that." "Like hell you do!" he said, "Akame, she's your _sister_. There has to be another way." "I'm sorry, but there isn't," she said, bringing a hand up to his cheek, "This is something that I have to do."

"Then I'm coming with you," he said, his mind made up. "No, you can't," she told him, her gaze turning stern, "This isn't something… It's going to be a fight to the death, Haru. I don't want you to see that. Not between us." "But I-" "Haru, please," she begged, stepping closer, "I have to do this, and I have to do it _alone_. Please, try to understand."

He could tell that she was determined to see this through, and that nothing he said would change her mind. Hanging his head in apparent defeat, Haru started to lay plans to try to stop this. He couldn't just sit back and allow her to kill her only family left, just like he couldn't do nothing if her life was on the line. He still remembered his interactions with Kurome, still remembered that he had instantly liked her. _And if it comes down to a choice between one of them_ that inner pessimist asked, annoying Haru once again.

 _If it comes to that, my decision is already made_ he replied as they walked back, his hand entwined with hers. If it came to it, then he would be the one to finish things, not her. She may end up hating him for it, but he wasn't about to let her scar her very soul over a decision she had made a long time ago. He would die himself before he allowed that to happen.

They returned to the clinic and dropped the supplies off before collecting Mine and heading back to their hideout. Rather than let her walk, Tatsumi instead had her on his back with his hands under her knees. While Mine seemed embarrassed about being carried by her crush, she didn't protest outright. Haru sincerely hoped that they had said what they needed to earlier, since he got the feeling that they might not get another chance in the next few days. People were already starting to get rowdy, with more than a few groups starting to square off with local guard patrols.

After returning to the bookstore, Haru made it a point to go and check on Najenda. While she probably didn't have any romantic feelings for Susanoo, he had been her Imperial Arms and a good friend. He wanted to make sure that their leader was okay, especially after the day he had just had. Walking down the hall to her room, Haru was surprised to find Lubbock standing outside her door with his back to him. "Hey, what's up?" Haru said, getting Lubbock's attention, "Something wrong with the boss?" "No," he replied as he turned back to the door, "It's just… I've been standing out here for almost 10 minutes trying to work up the courage to face her, and I keep falling short."

"Alright, Lubbock, I want you to listen to me closely," Haru said, draping an arm around his shoulder, "Someone's going to have to make the first move, and it's not going to be her. Najenda is a patient woman, and if you play the waiting game it's just going to end badly." Looking at Haru in shock, Lubbock broke out laughing about a second later. "This is just too much," he managed between fits, "You're giving _me_ romantic advice. Oh man, I think I'm about to bust a lung."

"Yeah, yeah, laugh it up, lettuce top," Haru replied, stepping back, "Once you're done having your fun, man up and talk with her." Patting his shoulder, Haru decided to leave Lubbock to it. He knew that his friend wasn't a coward, despite his actions in battle. He was just cautious with his life and didn't like taking unnecessary risks. But Haru had meant what he had said; one of them had to make the first move, and he would be damned if it was when one of them was at death's door.

Returning to his room, Haru shed his cloak and boots before dropping back-first onto the bed. Letting out a long sign of content, he closed his eyes. He was still feeling the exhaustion from his battle with Budou, which was further compounded by his frustration over Akame's actions. He desperately didn't want her to carry through with this crazy plan. He had seen Kurome in action, and if she had even half of her puppets left she would be a formidable enemy.

After what felt like minutes, Haru felt the bed dip and a warm presence next to him. Without opening his eyes, Haru moved his arm underneath Akame before pulling her closer. "If this is Chelsea in disguise," he said, smiling slightly, "Then I'm going to be pretty ticked." "If this was Chelsea in disguise," Akame replied, smiling and putting an arm around his chest, "Then I'd be very jealous." His smile just grew broader at her response, and he placed his other hand over the one she had around him.

"You know, I don't think I'm ever going to get tired of this," he said after a while. Rather than reply, Akame just pulled herself closer before heaving a content sigh. After a while, they fell asleep like that, just the two of them in a comforting embrace. A few hours later, however, a figure got up from the bed slowly so they wouldn't disturb the other sleeping figure. Moving slowly and carefully, Akame went to where she had placed Murasame before slipping out of the room. _I'm sorry_ she thought as she closed the door softly behind her.

Thankfully, everyone was asleep by this point, so she wouldn't have to explain why she was heading out so late at night. Grabbing one of their spare cloaks, she threw it around her shoulders before heading up to the main floor and out through the back of the bookstore. Another thing that played in her favor was the general unrest throughout the lower districts. With so many people finally realizing the truth, the guards were hard-pressed to maintain order on every street. As such, she was able to make it to one of the smaller gates and slip out of the city rather easily.

Now that she was outside, she could make her way to the meeting point at a more reasonable pace. However, this also gave her plenty of time to think about what she was doing. She was going to kill her sister, and in spite of the brave front she showed Haru the other day she still felt conflicted over the decision. She knew that she had to do it, that Kurome would be a serious threat if left alive. She also knew that if anyone was going to kill her, than it should be her. It should be the sister that ran away, that failed to save her when she had the chance, that left her to be used and abused by the Empire for all those years.

As she walked into the clearing around an old, run-down church, Akame heard distant thunder and looked up. Clouds were gathering over her head, and she could tell that it would rain soon. Walking up to the door, she opened the one that remained on its hinges and stepped inside. The interior had fared little better than the outside of the building, but she saw a familiar figure sitting in one of the pews. Getting up and turning to her, Akame found herself face-to-face with Kurome again.

"Hello, sister," she said, smiling, "I'm glad you could make it." Picking up her bag of snacks from where it sat next to her, she offered it to Akame while saying, "Would you like one?" Glancing at the bag, Akame felt the impulse to accept one of the cookies. But she knew what they likely contained, and that knowledge was enough for her to shake her head. "I'd better not," she replied, removing her cloak and draping it over one of the pews, "I doubt it would agree with me now." "That's a pity," Kurome said before lowering the bag.

Turning and looking around the inside of the church, Kurome continued, "In the past, long before all of this, we were reunited in this place. And this was also the place where you betrayed us and joined the rebels. I can't think of a more fitting place to finish this. It's almost ironic, considering how often you used to protect me." Her voice sounded almost whimsical, as if she thought those times were just a figment of someone's imagination.

Akame knew where this was heading, but she couldn't resist reliving old memories one last time. "As children without any other family, we didn't belong anywhere else but here," she said, smiling softly, "We were raised as assassins for the Empire, sent to kill those that had wronged it to uphold 'order.' And after being trained and raised in two different divisions, we were finally reunited here after so long. It was one of the happiest moments of my life when I saw you again."

"It was almost like we were reliving our childhood. We became the best. There were times when the jobs became dangerous, and we lost many good comrades, but we always completed our assignments," Kurome said, looking down, "But then, you betrayed us and joined Night Raid. You turned your back on everything we had ever known, on all of the friends we lost along the way. For a while, I couldn't understand why. Why did you leave us? Why did you leave me? I was so miserable for so long." "Will killing me bring you peace, Kurome?" Akame asked, tightening her grip on Murasame, "Is that what you want?"

"I already know it won't bring me any peace," she replied, turning to her and bringing her own scabbard up, "I want to be the one to do it, because then Yatsufusa will bring us together again." As if to prove her point, she drew her sword as two figures materialized behind her. Even though they were her only remaining puppets from her prized collection, Kurome knew that Doya and Natala would allow her to overpower her sister in time. And on the off chance that they weren't, she still held a small army of regular fighters in reserve.

Drawing her own sword, Akame took a moment to size up her opponents. She knew that Natala would be a dangerous opponent, regardless of his current condition. The gun-wielder would also be serious trouble for her as she remembered that she was a former assassin. If their last battle with Kurome had taught her anything, it was that even though these were just puppets made from corpses, they still retained their experience and skill. She also knew from the last battle that their nature as puppets made them immune to Murasame's poison. Before she could even begin to come up with a plan, Natala charged her with his spear while Doya moved to flank her. The battle had begun.

Meanwhile, Haru was slowly making his way through the forest. He shouldn't have allowed Akame to get so far ahead of him. Hell, while he was thinking about that; he shouldn't have let her leave the damned room. He had heard her closing the door behind her when she had left, and part of him had wanted to stop her before she even made it out of the hideout. But he had seen the determination in her eyes, even if he had also seen the uncertainty. So, rather than stop her he had decided to follow at a discrete distance. That could be considered his first mistake.

His second was allowing her to get further ahead of him when they got to the forest. He had been nervous that he would make too much noise once they entered it, so he had waited a few moments to give her some more space. And now he was paying for that decision as he prayed he was still moving in the proper direction. _She had been going in a straight line for almost the entire time_ he reasoned, trying to sound sure, _of course, if she made a turn at any point, I'm screwed_. He didn't relish the thought of wandering around blindly for the rest of the night if that was the case.

But then there was the question of just what the hell he intended to do once he got there. How did he intend to talk down two women determined to kill each other? He was pretty sure that if he ended up having to put himself between them, it would at least stop Akame. He wasn't so sure if it would stop Kurome, however. Then there was the question of Kurome's puppets; if she still had any from her collection left then it would get dicey no matter what he tried. That also meant that Akame would be hard-pressed to actually beat Kurome, since her puppets weren't technically alive. _Damnit, I have to hurry_ he thought, breaking into a jog.

Thankfully, their battle didn't say quiet for long. Hearing a crash and roar off to his left, he assumed that it had to be them. Changing course, Haru put on all of the speed he could, praying that they would still be breathing when he got there. As he burst through the brush into the clearing, he saw the remains of a building, the two sisters and one massive Danger Beast. Judging from the shackles on its limbs and the helmet, it had been held captive for some kind of experimentation, and it clearly wasn't too pleased with its treatment.

Grabbing his sword hilt, Haru briefly wondered where Kurome's puppets were before the two sisters went into action. Kurome jumped up and dashed up the thing's arm, slashing at one of the pipes on the helmet. It gave a bellowing roar and tried to swat her away as the pipe spewed some kind of gas. Apparently, this was something that was actually required for the beast's restraints. Now lacking whatever that pipe had been supplying, the mask split down the middle before falling away. This revealed a grotesque face, and Haru felt himself shudder.

The beast didn't last long, however, since Akame had gone into action the second the mask started to split. Before the creature even knew what was coming, she had swiped her blade across its throat and created a geyser of blood. The poison moved quickly, and soon the creature fell back onto the remains of the building with a loud crash. Breathing easier, Haru started to move forward when he heard a distinct thunder crack over his head. This seemed to be the signal the clouds had been waiting for, since a few seconds later it began to rain. It wasn't incredibly heavy, but enough that Haru would have some trouble providing proper support.

But then he saw a streak moving from the trees opposite him, making a bee-line straight for Akame. Acting on instinct, he drew his sword and dashed forward, using his flames to further boost his speed. He slammed into the figure with almost a foot to spare between his back and Akame's sword, and he realized that it was Wave who had come to Kurome's aid. He was in his armor, and even though his helmet was on Haru could imagine his surprise. "Haru? What are you doing here?" Akame asked, stunned that he had followed her.

Forcing Wave back, he took up a defensive stance as he watched Wave summon his spear. "Wave, don't interfere!" Kurome cried, pointing her sword at him, "This is my fight!" "What was I supposed to do, just sit back and let you get killed?" he replied without turning around, "I'm not going to abandon you, Kurome. Not now or ever." "Wave…" "So, Haru, it seems we get to finish things after all," Wave said, leveling his spear, "I can't say I'm happy about this, but I'm not letting you hurt Kurome."

"That's something we can both agree on," Haru replied, lowering his sword and relaxing his stance. "Haru, what are you doing?!" Akame demanded, stepping up to his side and taking his arm. "I didn't come here to fight," he said without breaking eye contact with Wave, "It's like I told Bols. I've seen enough families torn apart by the Empire. I refuse to add to it." "You know how this has to end, Haru," Akame told him, trying to convince him, "This is something that I have to do. That _we_ have to do."

"She's right, Haru," Kurome said, stepping in front of Wave, "This needs to happen, for both our sakes." "Kurome, please…" Wave begged, looking at her. Even through the armor, Haru could feel his pain. Placing a hand on his chest, Kurome looked up at him and smiled. "Thank you for coming, Wave," she said, tears dusting her eyes, "I wish… I wish we could have been closer under different circumstances."

Turning from him, she took another step forward and brought her sword up. "Step aside, Haru," she commanded. Taking a breath to steady himself, he took a firm grasp on Akame's arm and moved her behind him. "No," he said simply as he stood his ground. "I don't want to kill you, Haru," she said, glaring at him, "But I will if I have to. Now, move." "Haru, please…" Akame begged, trying to pull him aside. It was at this point that he noticed something he should have a long time ago. It was probably due to the fact that he was still tired, but there was only one real reason he could think of for her apparent desperation. "So, that's what this is," he said, realization dawning on him, "This is your Last Request, isn't it?"

"What are you talking about?" Wave asked, confused. "You're dying," Haru said. Now that he looked closer, he saw the much subtler signs of a disease that he was very familiar with. Wave's head turned to look at Kurome with such force that Haru imagined he could hear his cartilage pop. "I don't know what you mean," Kurome said, feigning ignorance, "I feel fine." "Has she been weak the last few days, Wave?" Haru asked without breaking eye contact, "How about losing hair, or the occasional bought of coughing that brings up blood?" "H-how could you know that?" Wave asked, stunned.

"I don't know why I didn't see this sooner," Haru said, stepping forward, "I guess you would have contracted it recently, since that's the only explanation." Looking to Wave, he explained, "My home was on rather dangerous territory, so we became familiar with a number of diseases that the people in the interior never even heard of. This particular one is something we simply called the Rot. It's waterborne and is usually the result of certain Danger Beasts bleeding into the water supply." Turning his gaze back to Kurome, he could tell that one of her weak spells was coming by the shaking in her legs.

"How…how do you know…?" she asked, her eyes starting to lose focus. "My mother and younger brother caught it a long time ago," he replied, sheathing his sword, "It took them the better part of a month, and a lot of support from the rest of us, to fight it off." That still didn't explain why it appeared to be hitting her so hard. As if to prove that point, her legs suddenly gave way and she fell. Wave was quick, however, and he put his hands under her arms before lowering her to the ground gently. "Kurome, you can't keep this up," he said as he allowed his armor to fade away, "You're too sick. Please, stop this…"

"I-I can't…" she replied, trying to push herself back up, "I have to… end things now…before I…" Looking at Akame, Haru saw shock and pity. Kurome was more desperate than she had thought, and part of her wanted to comfort her just as Wave did. Instead, she remained where she stood with her sword still held at her side. "You said that part of your training involved drugs, didn't you?" he asked, a realization finally dawning on him. When she nodded, he just heaved a sigh before walking over and kneeling before Kurome. "That would explain it," he said, "Whatever they have you hooked on probably screwed your body up to the point where you were vulnerable to this." "What do we do?" Wave asked.

When Haru looked in Wave's eyes, he saw more than just a concerned comrade; Wave may not have been aware of it, but there was the spark of love in his gaze. He cared deeply for Kurome, and the realization that he was powerless against this threat was tearing him apart. Haru felt bad for him, felt bad for them both. Neither of them deserved this suffering. Taking a few moments to carefully weigh his options, Haru glanced back at Kurome and saw that her eyes still hadn't regained their focus. He had a fairly good idea how much pain she was experiencing right then, and it was entirely likely that she was going to pass out at any moment.

"Kurome, I need you to listen to me very carefully," he said, reaching out and cupping her chin before tilting her head so they locked eyes, "I may be able to help you, but it could cost you dearly. In fact, it may end up killing you." "How could you even suggest that?" Wave demanded, putting a hand around Kurome protectively. "Because at this stage, most people would die in the next few hours," Haru replied, "Regardless of their strength or skill. At this point I'm not sure she'd live even if we got her to a doctor. If there was ever a time for a crazy risk, it's now."

"Do it…" she managed, her eyes clearing up slightly. "Are you sure?" he asked, just to be clear. "I don't…" she began, tears returning to her eyes, "I don't want to…die yet… Please, Haru. It hurts so much…please." It was at this point that he heard a barely stifled sob behind him, and he knew that Akame's determination to kill her had finally broken. "I need you to step back, Wave," he said, looking at the other man. Glancing at Kurome, he hesitated as he tried to come up with any other options.

Hanging his head in defeat, he gave Kurome's shoulder a squeeze before standing up and stepping away. Taking Kurome's head in both of his hands, Haru closed his eyes and focused everything he had. He would need ever shred of willpower to keep what he intended to do under control, and as he was preparing the sound of the rain faded into nothing. Likewise, Kurome could sense the growing power, and she felt herself surrendering to it. It was like an incredible heat, but it wasn't destructive; it was comforting.

From where they stood, Wave and Akame could practically _feel_ the power that Haru was beginning to channel, and it made Wave nervous. "What's he going to do?" he asked softly, afraid he would disturb him. "I don't know," Akame replied in the same tone, "I've never seen him try any kind of healing with his power." _No, that's not true_ she thought, remembering the battle with the Demon's Core, _it may not have been healing, but he did burn away the energy possessing him._

As if to prove her right, Haru's hands began to glow softly. "Verbrennen," he whispered, causing the glow to grow stronger. In fact, both of their bodies we now giving off a soft light as well as heat to the point where the rain was causing small puffs of mist to drift up from their bodies. It was almost like they were standing near a fire, and Wave was visibly nervous about the implications. If Haru wasn't able to maintain perfect control, Kurome would be burned up in an instant. He desperately wanted to help, to do something to lessen the risk to Kurome. But there was nothing they could do, and they both knew it. Either Haru would burn this sickness out of Kurome, or he would take the burden of ending her suffering.


	25. Chapter 25

As Haru focused on the girl before him, he could feel his flames raging to be released. They wanted to run free, to burn and consume everything until all that remained was ash. And this was something he absolutely couldn't allow. Gritting his teeth, he brought his will to bear on them and brought them back under control. At first, it resisted his attempts to rein in the destructive power, but then it slowly relented until at last he felt that he was ready. Whispering, "Verbrennen," he brought his fire into the physical world before slowly easing it into Kurome's blood.

He had known that such a technique would be much more difficult than anything he had ever done in his entire life, but he didn't fully understand the scale of the task he had started until the fire actually entered her blood. Determined to keep it at a small scale, he wasn't prepared for the sudden pull as her blood flow tried to sweep the flames away with the force of a raging river. Haru could feel his control starting to waver as he fought against the current, trying to slowly spread out the flames so he could burn this disease from her.

And it was a very near thing; at one moment, his control slipped for less than a second and the fire flared up. He heard Kurome whimper in pain, and he clenched his jaw to the point where the muscles hurt as he forced the fire back under his control. Working slowly, Haru felt Kurome's skin warm up noticeably as his fire began to spread. But, he also felt the corruption in her system. And it wasn't just the sickness that he felt; mixed in her blood almost as thick as her illness was a cocktail of drugs that Haru could only guess the nature of. However, it seemed likely that this was what Kurome's masters used to keep her and those like her under control.

It only took him a moment to consider whether he should destroy them, too. Allowing the fire to grow stronger, he began to burn the drugs out of her system as well. "Haru, wait…" she mumbled, sensing what he was doing. Reaching out, she clenched at his shirt, her tone almost pleading. But he just ignored it as he continued, sending his golden fire through her system and purifying it. _Let's see how you act when your mind is truly clear_ he thought as he worked.

Standing at their side, Wave looked about ready to jump in and stop this the moment Kurome started pleading with him. Clenching a fist, he stepped forward when a hand on his arm stopped him. "Wave, wait," Akame said, looking him in the eye, "Let him finish his work." "Didn't you hear her?" he asked, "He's doing something she doesn't want him to. That's reason enough to stop this now." "And if you interrupt him before he has burned that disease from her, it will just come back," she replied, her gaze never wavering, "Trust him this once. Please."

He would have argued the point further, he wanted to so badly. He cared for Kurome, and knowing that she was suffering while he just stood by and watched was almost too much to bear. But he saw the trust in her eyes, and even though this woman was supposed to be his enemy he felt like he could believe her. Taking a deep breath to calm himself, he felt himself relax as they returned to watching over Kurome and Haru. They had no way of knowing that his work had just entered the final moments.

He had found the root of her illness, and it was almost enough to make him retch. It felt like a twisted ball of rotten flesh, and he shivered as he came in contact with it. While it was probably no larger than his thumb, it felt big enough as he burned it away. At first, Kurome seemed to be in more pain than before, her grip on his shirt tightening as her face twisted in pain. Deciding to end it in one moment, Haru flared up and destroyed the corruption quickly while leaving the surrounding flesh mostly intact. He knew that it would leave some kind of scar, but the moment the thing was gone Kurome sighed in content, her face and grip relaxing.

Taking a few moments to make sure that he had destroyed it all, Haru quickly snuffed out his flames. Opening their eyes at the same time, Haru was surprised to find that he was looking at an almost completely different person. Her eyes were so much clearer, her face relaxed and happy as she smiled at him. "Thank you…" she said before passing out and slumping forward. Moving his hands from her head to her shoulders, he caught her before she would have hit the ground. He didn't even need to ask Wave for help; the second Kurome was unconscious he was there, wrapping his arms around her while checking her neck for a pulse.

"Relax, Wave, I didn't kill her," Haru said, leaning back and taking a deep breath, "It was…difficult, but I managed to burn out the disease. I also managed to purge her of the drugs the Empire has kept her on for most of her life, so she's going to need close attention as her body adjusts to that." "What do you mean?" he asked, looking at Haru suspiciously. "She's been on God knows what for most of her life, Wave," Haru told him, "Without them she's going to crash pretty hard, and she's going to need someone there to help her. Can we count on you for that?" "Of course," Wave replied, looking at her again, "I told her I wasn't going to leave her, and I meant it."

"Good," Haru said as he stood up, "We should probably find some kind of shelter. It won't be good for any of us if we catch a cold." As he stood up, however, he was suddenly overcome with dizziness and nearly fell back down. But Akame was there in an instant, her arm around his shoulders as she kept him standing. "That's probably a good idea," she commented, smiling, "We wouldn't want you passing out in the cold, after all." "I'm not going to pass out!" Haru replied, trying to sound offended. Akame just laughed softly as they made their way into the trees again.

After a while, they found a relatively dry spot under a large oak. Sitting down at its base, Haru leaned against the trunk while Wave laid Kurome down and covered her with his jacket. Akame joined Haru and took his hand, her fingers entwining with his own as she looked at her sister. "Will she be alright?" she asked just low enough so it wouldn't carry. "Honestly, I'm not sure," he replied in an equal volume, "I know that the Rot won't kill her, but I'm not sure what's going to happen now that I've removed the Empire's shackles." "You don't think…?" she asked, looking at him. "I hope not," he replied, squeezing her hand before closing his eyes.

He was starting to feel the exhaustion that always followed using his trump card, although it wasn't as bad now as it was the last few times. "Haru, can I ask you something?" Akame said after a while, keeping her voice down. When he nodded, she continued, "Why did you do this? Why would you risk a battle with the Jaegers just to stop this one fight?" "Because I love you," he replied without hesitation, "Because I know what it's like to lose family. And I knew that even if you killed her with your own hands, that you would regret it for the rest of your life." "You think I couldn't handle it?" she asked. "No one could ever handle doing something like that," he replied, looking at her, "Those that can aren't human, and we've already established that we're both human."

She just smiled at him, surprised that he had turned her old argument against her. Moving closer, she could feel her own exhaustion starting to set in. They fell asleep not to long after that, leaning on each other. Looking over at them, Wave smiled softly as he saw the obvious warmth between the two. They clearly loved each other, and he found that he was unable to see either of them as an enemy. _So, what does that make me_ he wondered, looking back at Kurome.

He had signed on with the Navy to protect people, to help keep the peace and defend those that couldn't do it themselves. That should make Haru and the girl with him, Akame, his enemies since they sided with the Rebels. But Haru had been willing to risk his life to save someone that should be his enemy, and it hadn't been the first time. He had let Bols live, even though he had said that Night Raid had been targeting him and Kurome specifically. "You really are one odd rebel, Haru," Wave mused, smiling to himself as he stood watch.

The rest of the night passed rather slowly, and Wave started feeling his own drowsiness starting to overtake him when he heard a slight whimpering. Rubbing the sleep from his eyes, he looked over and saw that Kurome was in the middle of some kind of nightmare. She was pawing at the air and mumbling in her sleep, with a barely audible "No…" escaping her lips every few moments. Moving so he was sitting next to her, he put a hand on her shoulder and tried to calm her. "Kurome, it's okay…" he said, leaning over her, "It's just a dream. You're okay now." "No… I don't want to… it hurts… please, make it stop…," she mumbled, her voice starting to rise in volume as the dream grew worse.

Not knowing what else to do, Wave decided to go with his instincts. Lying down next to her, he wrapped his arms around her shoulders before pulling her into his chest. "It's okay now, Kurome," he whispered, gently stroking her back, "It's okay. I'm here now, and I won't let them hurt you." Wrapping her arms around his chest, she clung to him like a lifeline as she tried to fight her way through the darkness of her mind. After a while, she calmed down and began to breathe peacefully again. Meanwhile, Wave was trying to keep his own raging emotions under control. Taking a deep breath, he tried to sit back up again to resume guarding. But Kurome just tightened her grip around him, letting out a small mumble of protest before moving closer and burying her head in his shirt. Sighing, Wave resigned himself to staying with her for the rest of the night, although it wasn't as uncomfortable as he thought it would be.

The next morning, Haru was the first one to wake up. He was pleasantly surprised to still find Akame leaning on him with her hand still in his, but it was the position that he saw Wave and Kurome in that surprised him the most. He had rolled onto his back in his sleep, and rather than allow it to pull him from her arms, Kurome had pulled herself up so she was using his chest as a pillow. In fact, her entire upper body was lying on top of him with her head just below his chin. She also had the most peaceful look on her face, and Haru couldn't help but smile.

Feeling Akame stirring next to him, he nudged her slightly before gesturing at the two still asleep. Looking over at them, Akame practically radiated with happiness when she saw her sister's face. "The last time I remember her sleeping like that was when we were little kids," she whispered, looking at Haru. After a while, she felt the need to say something that had been on her mind for a while now. "Thank you," she said, resting her head on his shoulder. "What'd I do this time?" he asked, a little confused as to what she meant. "For giving me my sister back," Akame answered, nudging his side in mock irritation.

Laughing softly, he wrapped an arm around her shoulders before leaning back and enjoying this moment. But after a few minutes, he knew that they would have to get moving. Getting up first, he helped Akame to her feet before walking over and giving Wave a gentle nudge. He woke with a start, and as he tried to get up he felt the weight on his chest. Looking down, he felt his whole face grow warmer as he looked at the position Kurome was in. "I hate to ruin your fun, Wave," Haru teased, unable to keep a smile off his face, "But you should probably get up now before something happens."

Nodding absently, he shook Kurome's shoulder until she opened her eyes. Blinking slowly, she looked up at him in confusion before smiling. "Is it morning already?" she asked, yawning. "Yeah; we need to get moving, Kurome," Wave said quickly as he moved to sit up. But rather than move to the side, she closed her eyes and rubbed her cheek on his chest as she tried to go back to sleep. And for a brief moment, he was tempted to leave her. Instead, he looked up at Haru and Akame for help. While Akame just snickered at her sister's antics, Haru reached down and hooked his hands under her arms. "Come on, sleepy head," he said, trying not to laugh.

While she mumbled in protest, she didn't resist as Haru helped her to her feet. Rubbing her eyes, she looked at Haru and smiled warmly. "Thank you," she said simply, hugging him, "For freeing me." "About that…" he said, noticing Akame's worried look, "Are you feeling alright?" Stepping back, she looked deep in thought for a few moments before she responded. "I feel…odd," she said finally, "It's like…" "You feel empty. Lighter," Haru said, knowing what she meant, "But it's in a good way. You're thinking clearer now." Nodding, she smiled as she looked over at Akame.

And this was the moment of truth as she walked up to stand just before her sister. Both of them were unarmed, their swords resting in their scabbards under the tree. But that didn't mean they couldn't hurt each other, and judging from the slight tremor in Akame's hand, she knew it. He had no idea how right he was; inside, Akame's mind was raging with a million what-if scenarios. What if she lost her memories? What if she hasn't changed? What if she won't want me anywhere near her again?

This battle was decided in one moment as Kurome stepped forward and hugged her. "Hello, sister," she said, tears starting to come to her eyes, "I missed you." "Kurome…" "I'm so sorry for…" she continued, her emotions starting to strangle her voice, "I don't know why I wanted to… Can you ever forgive me?" Looking Akame in the eye, she was practically pleading with her as she tried not to cry. It only took Akame a moment to make her decision. Putting one arm around her shoulders and her other hand on the back of Kurome's head, she pulled her back into the hug. "Of course I forgive you," she said, pressing closer, "You're my sister. I'll always forgive you."

Haru didn't even realize that he was holding his breath until that moment. Releasing it in one explosive sigh, he helped Wave to his feet. Turning and looking at the sisters, Wave found that he felt a lot better, too. "Hey, in case I forget to say it; thanks," Wave said suddenly. "No worries," Haru replied, smacking his back, "I'm just glad you have your girlfriend back." "She's not my…!" Wave began before realizing the trap he had just walked into. Punching Haru's arm, he ignored him as he went and grabbed his and Kurome's weapons.

"You're not still planning on fighting for the Jaegers, are you?" Haru asked, suddenly concerned. "I'm…not sure, really," Wave replied, scratching his head, "I doubt we could join the rebels so suddenly and not look suspicious." "I'm not fighting against my sister," Kurome stated flatly, taking her sword, "And that's not up for debate." "Then I guess your best bet is to stay out here," Haru said, looking around, "Our army should arrive sometime in the next few days. If you can keep your heads down, you should be fine."

"You'll be coming back, right?" Kurome asked, looking over at Akame. "Of course I will," she replied without hesitation. After a quick goodbye, Haru and Akame made their way back towards the city. Glancing over at Akame, Haru felt his protective side starting to surface as certain thoughts and facts began to bubble to the front of his mind. Shaking his head to try and clear it, he tried to focus on the path instead of his own selfish desires. "What's wrong?" Akame asked suddenly, knowing that something was eating away at him.

"It's nothing," he replied, trying to dismiss it. "If it was nothing, then it wouldn't be eating away at you," she fired back, taking his hand, "I know you, and I know when something's bothering you." "I can't hide anything from you anymore, can I?" he asked, sighing when she just smiled at him, "It's just… If I asked you to stay out of the fight when we take the capital, would you?" "Why would you…?" she began before realizing what he meant.

It wasn't just because he loved her, although that probably played a large part in it. Their child was still very new, and he was clearly hesitant to risk _two_ lives that he cared very much for. And now that she thought about it, Akame felt a weight settling on her shoulders that hadn't been there before. She was a mother now, and that meant she was responsible for her child's life. She couldn't just think about her own desires and act selfishly, and if that meant that she would have to remove herself from the fight then that's what she should do.

"I…I can't, Haru," she said finally, gripping his hand, "It's not that I don't know what you mean. I do. But I can't let you go into this alone." "But I won't be alone," he protested, "I've got all of Night Raid at my side. And with Najenda joining the army for tactical support, we're guaranteed victory." "But I can't bet your life on that!" she said, stepping in front of him, "I know it's selfish of me, and I know that the smart thing would be to trust you to come back. But I can't do that, Haru. I won't sit back and hope, not when I can fight to make it certain."

Looking at her, he could tell that arguing would be a waste of time. "Alright, you convinced me," he said finally, sighing and scratching his head, "Just…try not to do anything too reckless, okay?" "As if you're one to talk," she replied, smiling as she turned and continued on. He just shook his head, smiling slightly as he caught up with her. Getting back into the city proved to be trickier than they had both thought, and judging from the number of guards at the smaller entrances the main gates were likely locked-down. For a normal person, this would have been impossible to overcome; but for Night Raid assassins, it was just another day.

When they returned to the bookstore, Lubbock glanced up from the counter and smiled at them. "We were wondering what had happened," he said as they walked over, "I hope you're ready for a scolding. Najenda wasn't happy when she found out." "Yeah, I'm looking forward to that," Haru mumbled as he and Akame made their way into the basement. But when he saw that pretty much everyone was still there, he was slightly confused. After weathering the greetings from his friends, he said, "I thought we still had things we needed to scout before the army arrives."

"Not anymore," Najenda replied, "They will be here tomorrow, which means I need to leave tonight to meet them. Meanwhile, I have your final assignments." Laying out the blueprints they had acquired of the sewer system and the palace, she waited for everyone to gather around the desk before she began. "Tomorrow, we will be split into three teams," she said, "I will be outside the city with the Rebel army, helping to lead and coordinate the attack. Meanwhile, Mine, Chelsea, Sheele, Haru and Lubbock will launch an assault on the main palace gates, further diverting their attention. That will leave Akame, Leone and Tatsumi with the opening they will need to infiltrate the palace and kill Onest."

"So, you're sending us out as decoys?" Chelsea asked, crossing her arms, "Won't they expect some kind of diversion, anyway?" "I know they will," Najenda told her, "Which is why we've arranged some back-up for you. We managed to sneak two squads of soldiers into the city yesterday. They will assist you in your attack. Even if they know it's a diversion, they won't be able to ignore it without risking you entering the palace." "Give them no choice but to commit to the distraction," Haru observed, "If we're lucky, it'll draw some of their remaining Imperial Arms out of position, too. But why am I there?"

"For two reasons," Najenda answered, looking squarely at him, "First, because you're right and they might send out Imperial Arms against the distraction. In that case, I need someone that can go toe-to-toe against whatever they might bring. And as good as you all are, Haru is the most adept at large-scale destruction." "Can't argue with that," he commented. "The second reason is that I need someone to sell it as a legitimate attack," she continued, smiling at his comment, "The Empire is well aware of your general abilities by this point, which means that once they see you at the front door they won't be able to just ignore you."

As she continued to outline the battle plan, they learned their particular roles. Haru, Sheele and Lubbock would be responsible for the direct engagement, while Chelsea would infiltrate their lines and cause as much chaos and confusion as she could. Mine, meanwhile, would be set up in a secure location, under guard, and be providing sniper support when needed. Rather than protest at the special treatment, she just nodded and accepted her role. The fact that she was willing to accept how injured she still was surprised Haru, but in a good way. Finally, Najenda said, "Tomorrow's events will decide everything. The future of this nation is on the line, and I expect you all to fight with everything you have. Take the rest of the day to prepare whatever you will need. We will move into position at midnight."

Heading away from the table, Haru decided that he should try and get what rest he could. Tomorrow was going to be a very busy day, and he would likely need everything he could muster to survive. But it wasn't five seconds after he entered the bedroom when Akame came in behind him. Closing the door quickly, she walked over and hugged him from behind. "That worried about me, huh?" he asked, trying to lighten the mood. "Is it bad that I want you on my team?" she asked, her voice slightly muffled. "No," he answered, turning around and wrapping his arms around her shoulders, "To be honest, I'd feel better with you at my side, too. But Najenda's plan makes sense; our distraction needs enough strength to draw out the guards, and the infiltration team needs enough strength to actually take on what's likely to be left."

"I know that," she replied, looking him in the eye, "That doesn't mean I have to happy with it." "Relax, we're going to be fine," Haru promised, brushing her lips with his, "We're going to go in, kick their collective asses, and come back in one piece." "Najenda told us to prepare whatever we would need," Akame said, switching tracks, "My sword is as sharp as ever, but I think my heart could use some reinforcement." "Wow, you are a bold one, aren't you?" Haru teased, smiling as her face grew darker. Rather than allow her to respond, he leaned in and kissed her quickly. Leaning into him, she forced him back until he fell backwards onto the bed before planting herself on his hips. While they didn't have sex, they still found it fulfilling to be with each other.

Waking up to a knock at the door some time later, Haru rubbed the sleep from his eyes as Chelsea entered the room. "Time to go, you two," she said, smiling at Haru's bare chest, "Fun's over." "Yeah, yeah, we'll be there in a minute," he said, sitting up and reaching for his shirt. She just smirked as she turned and left the room. "This is it," Akame said, rolling onto her back and looking up at Haru. "For them, not us," he said, "We'll come back from this, Akame." "You'd better," she replied, sitting up and kissing him again.

After they had gathered their things, they joined the rest of Night Raid in the main room. Looking over them, Haru tried to gage everyone's state of mind. Tatsumi and Mine were having a private word off to one side, and he saw her lean in and give him a peck on the cheek. Likewise, Lubbock and Najenda had a few words, ending with him giving her a warm smile. Chelsea seemed like her usual cheerful self, even though her eyes were serious. Leone was adjusting the various straps on her body to make her outfit more comfortable, her usual cheer diminished. Even Sheele seemed more focused than normal as she adjusted the strap for her Extase. Walking over and placing a hand on her shoulder, he gave her a reassuring smile. Then, at some unknown signal that they all felt, they turned and made their way to the door. The end had finally begun.


	26. Chapter 26

Najenda separated from their group almost immediately, heading for one of the side gates to meet up with the commanders. Meanwhile, the rest of Night Raid made their way through the city as quickly as they could. The second parting was much more painful for Haru as Leone pulled up one of the manhole covers to the sewers. She dropped down first, followed by Tatsumi after he gave Mine a reassuring smile. Finally, it was Akame's turn, and she turned to Haru one last time. "Good luck," he said, smiling. "You too," she replied, returning the smile before dropping down into the hole.

After replacing the cover, his group started to make their way to the upper districts. But after they walked a few blocks, it became clear that Mine's injuries were still bothering her. Sighing in frustration, Haru moved in front of her before kneeling down and offering his back. "Just what do you think you're doing, matchstick?" she asked, trying to sound normal. "You're still hurt," he replied simply, "We need to get to the meeting point quickly, and we'd move faster this way." Before she could try to protest, Chelsea walked up behind her and slid Pumpkin's case from her shoulder before giving her a slight shove. "Come on, tiny, we need to make up some time," she said, smiling sweetly when Mine glared at her.

Huffing in annoyance, she accepted the offer and wrapped her arms around Haru's neck. With his hands under her knees, he stood back up and they were on their way. "I want you to know that I only agreed so I wouldn't slow you down," she mumbled, trying to salvage some of her pride. "Relax, Mine," he replied, chuckling, "I'm well aware of how much spunk you have. I'm sure it gives Tatsumi plenty to think about." "And what's that supposed to mean?" "Don't think I didn't notice you kissing his cheek," he said, glancing at her and smiling when she blushed, "We'll get through this, Mine, don't worry." "I'm not worried," she replied, smiling softly, "Tatsumi's never let me down before, and he won't now."

Finally, they made it to their rally point; an old, run-down church with a large bell tower. Standing guard by the doors were two rebels dressed in plain clothes and cloaks, one of which was familiar to Haru. _It couldn't be…_ he thought as he set Mine down. But sure enough, the second she was off his back one of the guards charged him and knocked him onto his back. "Haru! It's been so long!" the guard cried, the voice clearly from a woman. "I forgot you're a fan of the hug-tackle," he mumbled, hoping she hadn't cracked a rib, "Could you please get off of me, June?"

"Huh? Oh, right, sorry," she said, standing up before offering her hand, "It's just been so long since you last wrote, I was starting to get anxious." "What can I say? Things happen," he replied as he hauled himself to his feet. He didn't miss the suspicious looks from Mine and Chelsea, and he mentally flinched when he remembered that he hadn't told them about June. "So, they sent you?" he asked, trying to act casual. "Well, not exactly," she replied, lowering her hood as she led them into the church, "They were looking for volunteers to infiltrate the capital to give you guys support." "And naturally you signed up," Haru finished, knowing how she was. "Yep," she said, smiling, "It's good to see you again, Haru. I'm…sorry about how we parted."

"Ancient history," he said immediately, waving his hand, "So, what's our plan?" "I'm going to send some of my guys up into the tower with your sniper," she said, turning serious as she gestured to a nearby table. On it was a rather detailed map of the main palace gate, and they gathered around the table as she continued, "The rest of us will split into three groups to support you and your other two fighters. I understand you also have someone specialized in infiltration?" "That'd be me," Chelsea said, raising her hand, "Don't worry about sending guards with me. I'll be able to slip into their lines easily." "Imperial Arms?" June asked, receiving a nod in response, "Well, then I think we have a real shot here."

"Okay, there's just one problem with this plan," Haru said, looking her straight in the eye, "Onest still has two Imperial Arms at his personal disposal that we know of. I'm not so concerned about one of them, considering what we have. But if Esdeath shows up, you all need to clear out and let me handle her." "You want to take the Ice Queen on your own?" June asked, sounding shocked, "Are you crazy?" "No, I don't want to, and I probably am," he replied, smiling coldly, "But she wields a pure element, and so do I. I've seen how she fights, and I can say with certainty that none of the other Imperial Arms we have here can match her except mine."

"Well, thanks for the vote of confidence," Lubbock said, smacking his shoulder. However, he wasn't about to argue with his friend, even though he wanted to. But June wasn't so willing to let it go. "You're all really okay with letting him take that… _woman_ on alone?" she asked, looking at them all. She had heard stories about Night Raid's achievements; to some, they were like a force of nature, while to others they were just a band of criminals working under the Revolution's banner. She had thought they were better than that, but if they were willing to offer up Haru to buy time then she would have to rethink her opinion about them.

"It doesn't matter if we're okay with it or not," Mine said, scowling at the map, "The matchstick is right; he's the only one that could stand a chance against her, and we'd just get in the way. Control isn't his strong suit." That last part she said with a smirk, and Haru just snorted in response. June watched this whole thing and smiled while shaking her head. "Still the same crazy bastard that I knew," she said, looking up, "Some things never change." "And it never will," he replied, returning the smile.

The planning from there was rather straight-forward. They would try to draw the fight out as long as possible to make sure they drew enough of the guards to them. But, if it looked like they could break into the palace with ease, than they would. Privately, Haru hoped that this second situation would be the case. He didn't relish the idea of Akame going up against the elite guards in the throne room, even if she had Leone and Tatsumi with her. As they prepared to move out, Mine pulled him to the side and whispered, "Okay, matchstick, what's with you and the girl?"

"We were a thing when I was part of the army," he said simply, "We parted on good terms. I'm not sure why it matters." "It matter because you and Akame are a thing now," she hissed, trying to sound serious. "I know that, and so does she," he replied, causing her to splutter, "June's a lot like me, and she understands that I'm with someone else. She's not about to try to make a move on me; she doesn't have the tact for it, anyway." "I can hear you, 'matchstick,'" June said, smiling when both he and Mine flinched.

After a few more preparations were made, Mine and her three bodyguards made their way up the bell tower while the rest of them exited the building and split up. June and three of her men would be assisting Haru, and he felt better knowing she had his back. It took almost half an hour to reach their target, and when they finally arrived they could hear the sounds of distant battles. The Rebels had begun their assault on the outer defenses, and that meant that it was now their turn. Looking at June and her men, he saw looks of determination. Even June had lost her usually cheerful and playful demeanor, her eyes serious as she clutched at the pair of swords in her hands.

"Give me a minute out there alone," Haru said suddenly, unsheathing his sword, "When they rush me, feel free to back me up." Rather than question him, June just nodded and waved her men back as he stepped out from the alleyway. Looking over to where Lubbock was at his right, he subtly gestured for them to stay back. He did the same for Sheele's group to his left as he walked up to the gate. There were only four guards present, but he knew there would be a lot more waiting in the guardhouses that flanked the gate, as well as on the other side. Bringing his sword up, he said, "Zündung," and sent a wave of fire crashing into the gate just over their heads, causing the guards to duck and look around in shock. His attack didn't do much more than singe the metal, but it had the intended affect.

"I will give you all one chance!" he shouted, drawing their attention as he lowered his hood, "Lay down your weapons and walk away now, or you won't live long enough to regret it!" They looked at each other, and Haru could feel the indecision. They weren't stupid enough to think they had a chance against someone with an Imperial Arms; at least, he hoped they weren't. But, instead of running away they grabbed their weapons while one of them brought up a whistle and blew. The alarm had been raised, and the fight had begun.

Crying, "now!" Haru took a two-handed grip on his sword and met the first two guards head-on. His support came rushing out a moment later, and Haru saw a flicker to his right as Lubbock started to spin his wires and send them flying out to various anchor points. Blocking the first guard's sword, Haru turned it aside just as the second one took a swipe at him with a spear. He side-stepped it and brought his sword down on the shaft, breaking the wood before kicking the man aside as the first one came at him again. Blocking the blade again, Haru watched as June appeared behind the man. Before he could react, her swords were in motion and he was in two pieces at their feet. Turning back to the spearman, who had drawn his own sword, Haru grabbed a knife, charged it and threw it as he moved further into the battle. The knife impacted the man's chest, and before he could remove it the metal failed and it exploded.

"Thanks," he said to June as they moved into the fray, blocking another swipe as more guards came out to stop them. "That knife thing," she said as she cut through another man's arm, "That's just showing off." "That's nothing," Haru replied, smirking, "Watch this." Pointing at one of the guard houses, he said, "Thýella!" and created a massive fireball in front of him. With a flick of his wrist, it went crashing into the building. The front exploded inward, showering anyone still inside with flaming shrapnel. If anyone lived through that, they didn't survive much longer as the fire spread and engulfed the building.

June just smirked at his display as she turned aside another spear. It was going well, until they heard a crack and saw one of their soldiers go down. Looking up at the wall, Haru saw several more guards armed with rifles taking aim at them. "Scatter!" he said before he was forced to defend himself again. But it was no good; even with Sheele cutting through the guards that stood in their way and Lubbock's various traps and attacks, they were still outnumbered and fairly well pinned down. _We can't move fast enough like this_ he thought as he watched another rebel go down, _they'll just pick us off. Come on, Mine, where's that support?_

As if summoned by his thoughts, a beam suddenly flew over their heads and impacted the wall, blowing chunks out of it and sending three riflemen flying. They heard the crack of the shot less than a second later, but by then the other riflemen were trying to take cover and figure out where the shot had come from. "Bought damn time, pipsqueak!" Haru shouted as he looked back at the bell tower. Less than a second later another shot came screaming in, sending another two men plummeting to their death from the wall. Stabbing his current opponent in the chest, Haru used the corpse as a shield as his buddy came in with a spear. The blade embedded itself in the body, and Haru used it to pull the spear from the man's hands before lunging forward and taking his head off.

As the battle raged on, the rebels began to gain the upper hand as the number of guards dwindled. Hearing a sudden CRACK, Haru watched in surprise as the guard he had been fighting dropped with half his head missing. Looking up, he saw another guard leaning over the wall with a rifle. He had Haru dead to rights, and they both knew it as he stood there. But instead of taking the shot, the guard smiled as he took aim at one of the guard captains. Another CRACK and the man went down, and it was at that point that Haru noticed the small stick in the rifleman's mouth. Chelsea had managed to get up onto the wall in her disguise, and she was providing them with more cover fire. That is, until one of the real riflemen noticed her and fired at her. He watched the bullet hit her shoulder, spinning her around and causing her to fall back behind cover.

"Chelsea!" he cried, hoping to get to the wall as he pushed his way through the fight. He was stopped by another three guards, and he had no choice but to fight and hope she was still alive. Taking the first guard head-on, Haru parried his blade before grabbing one of his last two knives and embedding it in the man's skull. As his body dropped, the other two came at him from either side. Rather than take one and leave himself open, Haru stepped back and sent a wide arc of flame out. While the man to his left managed to duck under it, the other one was too slow and went down writhing in pain as he burned alive. Locking blades with the last guard, Haru tried to steady his breathing as he felt the strain of using his Imperial Arms taking its toll.

Their battle was cut short when they felt something under their feet stir. The ground shook, and Haru had to push himself away from the guard so he could properly focus on keeping his footing. They all felt it, and everyone stopped as they wondered just what was going on. A loud crashing caught their attention, and Haru looked up the hill towards the palace in dread. An Imperial Arms capable of creating this kind of reaction was going to be serious trouble, and he wasn't wrong. Not soon after they turned their attention to the palace, the building began to crumble. And from its ruins emerged a Titan; there wasn't any other word Haru could think of to describe what he was seeing. It was a massive suit or armor, and it slowly stood upright before looking out at the sections of the city under attack.

Haru realized what it was planning a moment too late as the crystal on its forehead lit up. A split second later a laser fired out, and they saw a massive flash as it wiped out an entire section of the city. They all practically _felt_ the blast as the shockwave washed over them, and Haru had to grab June's arm to keep her from going down from it. "You need to get your men out of here!" he said as the guards began to flee. "What? We're not running away now!" she replied, looking offended. "Not running, evacuating!" he fired back, "That thing will kill lots of people unless we get them out of here. You need to guide as many of them to safety as you can."

"Fine, I can do that," she said, nodding, "But what about you?" "I need to check on the people we sent into the palace," he said, "If I know them, they're definitely going to fight that thing. I can't just leave them hanging." "Then you be careful, Haru," June told him before kissing his cheek quickly. He squeezed her shoulder briefly before they separated. Bringing his sword up, he sent another wave of fire at the gates. This time, it was much stronger and was aimed at the gap between the doors, which served to blast them inwards. The sound of them impacting the ground was muffled by a second explosion as the giant armor fired again. It was at this point that Haru looked up and saw a white streak leaping up to chest level.

 _Tatsumi, you idiot, that's too obvious_ Haru thought as the armor used one of its massive hands to swat him away. Tatsumi didn't even have time to dodge as it hit, and he went sailing into the nearby buildings. Hoping he could at least do some damage, Haru took a firm grip on his sword and rushed towards the ruins of the palace. He didn't know where the others from his group had gone, but he trusted they would be smart in whatever they decided to do. By this point, the giant had decided to start moving, as well as speaking.

"This is retribution for all of the chaos you have caused, Night Raid!" yelled a rather young voice. Haru recognized it as the Emperor's, and he had to marvel at the strength it took to wield something that big. As he got closer to the ruins of the palace, Haru noticed that someone was still fighting in the rubble. Akame parried a large sword before using it as a springboard to jump clear of her opponents. They were three men in large suits of armor, and they clearly weren't push-overs.

Before he could move to help her, she waved him off. "I'm fine! You go help Tatsumi!" she yelled as she charged at them. Haru hesitated for a moment, torn between helping Akame and helping Tatsumi. His decision was made in the next moment as the giant lifted one of its arms and fired several beams at once. The destruction was worse this time, but it wasn't nearly as concerning to Haru as seeing one of them hit Tatsumi dead center. Rushing to where he had landed from that attack, Haru prayed that he was still alive.

As he reached the collapsed building, he saw that Tatsumi had been caught by someone and shielded from most of the impact; someone in blue armor. Tatsumi picked himself up before helping Wave to his feet, and Haru could tell from his posture that Tatsumi was a little on edge. "Wave, what the hell are you doing here?" Haru shouted as he jogged over. "What did you expect me to do when I saw parts of the city exploding?" he fired back. "So you decided to leave Kurome alone to come fight the Emperor?" Haru asked, stopping before them, "That's all kinds of stupid."

"It doesn't matter now," Tatsumi said as he turned to face the giant. Luckily for them, its attention had turned to the battles still raging in the city. "How do we take something like that down?" he asked, looking to them for help. "Aside from beating it to death?" Haru asked, smiling dryly at them, "It's got to have a weakness. We just need to find it." "I hope you have a plan for that," Wave said as he summoned his spear. "I do, but you're not going to like it," he said as he relaxed his stance, "You two are the only ones that can actually attack that thing. You probe it for weak spots while I stay here and try to spot them."

"That's it? That's the plan?" Wave asked, looking at him with what Haru assumed would be a scowl. "I can't move the way you two do with those suits," Haru pointed out, scowling back, "So unless you want to carry me up there and constantly have to keep me from falling; yes, that's the plan." Before Wave could protest further, Tatsumi leaped up onto a nearby building before summoning his spear and leaping up at the giant again. Wave heaved a sigh before following, and Haru resigned himself to a support role as he sheathed his sword. Hopefully, they would find a weakness before it destroyed the entire city.

But after watching them attacking various parts of the armor with no result, his hopes began to fade rather quickly. As he watched Wave get shot down, Haru started to prepare himself to use his trump card. _It'll probably kill me, and I may not take it with me, but we've got to do something_ he thought as he gripped his sword handle and prepared to charge. But then Tatsumi hit the armor around the stomach, and they both saw the giant flinch and step back. Haru almost thought he heard a crack, but the sound was covered up as the giant smacked Tatsumi away.

Before he could fall to the ground, it reached out and grabbed him before slamming him into the ground. The shockwave from that was enough to knock Haru off his feet, but he was too stunned from what he had just seen to feel it as he landed on his tail bone. As the armor stood back up and prepared to stomp on the kid, Haru saw a flash and heard the faint cry of "Incursio!" "He lived through that," Haru muttered as he stood back up. It got even better when a golden streak shot up from the rubble.

Tatsumi wasn't wearing the normal armor anymore; this suit was golden, had a pair of dragon wings and practically radiated power. As he charged the giant Imperial Arms, the Emperor cried out and opened fire with all of the armor's weapons, painting the sky with lasers as he tried to shoot the Night Raid assassin down. But Tatsumi kept coming, dodging all of the shots as he soared in and struck the weak armor section again. This time, the impact was loud and clear, and Haru watched in amazement as Tatsumi struggled to pierce the metal. At one point, he even started to lift it off the ground before a series of cracks could be heard.

And then, in one moment, it was over. The armor shattered and Tatsumi rammed through the entire chest plate, emerging just below the giant's chin before flying clear. It was over, they had won.

Except that it wasn't.

Swaying a bit, the massive Imperial Arms began to fall towards the city, and Haru felt his stomach drop out as he began to run. The number of people that were likely in the way of that thing was high, and they needed to stop it from killing them all. Haru saw Tatsumi start to dash at its head, and in an instant he had a plan. "Tatsumi, down here!" he shouted as he bent over and picked up a spear, "Give me a lift!" To his credit, he trusted that Haru had a plan as he broke off from his charge. Using his fire to boost himself up onto a roof, Haru kept running as Tatsumi swept down level with him. Without even asking, Haru jumped and landed on Tatsumi's back before directing him to get higher.

"I need a clear shot at its head!" he told Tatsumi as he tried to steady himself. As they climbed and lined up, the giant continued to fall. _Not enough time_ Haru thought as they got higher. Focusing everything he had into the spear, he shifted his hand and brought it back as he prepared to throw it. "There, hold it there!" he commanded as the shot lined up. If he could apply enough force, he could send it tumbling to the side. The area it would then land in was one that had been hit by one of the blasts, and he knew it would be clear by now.

As the armor continued to fall, Haru realized it was now or never. Hurling it with everything he had left, Haru tried not to fall off as he watched the spear fly. Thankfully, his aim held true and it impacted the thing's temple before exploding in a massive fireball. While some of the armor was blown off, the important part was that he had shifted its weight. Grinning in triumph, Haru watched as the giant suit began to fall where they wanted it too. It was glorious, right up to the point where Tatsumi began to waver.

"Sorry, Haru…" he managed, sounding tired, "I think… I'm at…my…limi…" He didn't even get a chance to finish speaking as he passed out. They were still a long way up, and Haru knew he didn't have the strength to save them both from the fall. As they began to plummet, he found that he wasn't as calm as he thought he would be. He had a reason to live beyond this fight, and that reason was screaming at him to live, _live_ damnit!

As they continued to fall, Tatsumi's armor disappeared. Grabbing Incursio's blade so it wouldn't be lost, Haru used his other arm to pull Tatsumi in closer as he tried to come up with a plan. If he could get one of his boosters out, he might be able to use his fire to slow their decent. But as his hand brushed one of the syringes, he felt a pair of arms wrap around him from behind. "Hold tight," Wave said as he got a firm grip on Haru and Tatsumi, "This is going to hurt."

Figuring he could trust the ex-soldier, Haru braced himself for impact as best as he could. But it still freaking hurt. They hit the roof of one of the few buildings still standing and slid a ways across its surface before they hit open air again. About two seconds later and they had reunited with the ground as Wave slid a ways on his back, grunting from the force of the impact. Even through his armor, he had to have felt that. When they finally came to a stop, Haru rolled to one side and tried to keep his head from spinning. Wave let his armor dissipate, groaning as he tried to feel something besides pain. But they had survived the fall, and that was definitely something. As Haru checked Tatsumi's pulse he found that the kid was still alive, but the strain of the new form Incursio had taken was obviously much more than the last one.

Pulling the syringe that he had grabbed out of his pouch, he flipped the cap off before shooting it into Tatsumi's leg to try and keep him stable. Looking over to Wave, he saw that the guy was also still in one piece as he sat up before wincing. "Nice catch," Haru said, smiling. "Do me a favor," Wave said, the pain clear in his voice, "Don't ever make me do that again. Ever." "Deal," he replied, his smile growing broader before he froze up. Just over Wave's shoulder, in the distance but closing on them, was a familiar figure with long, blue hair.


	27. Chapter 27

Glancing over to see what had gotten Haru's attention, Wave suddenly grew very still as they watched Esdeath approach. "Wave," Haru said with a calm he definitely wasn't feeling, "Can you still walk?" Wave just nodded, unable to speak at the moment. "Then I need you to take Tatsumi and get him some help," Haru told him as he stood up. "You can't seriously expect to take her alone," Wave said finally, looking at him in shock. "It's better that I fight alone than with you in your current state," Haru said, smiling coldly, "You're in no position to take another blow from anyone, let alone her." "But neither are you!"

"That's true," Haru replied as he unsheathed his sword, "But I still have two of my boosters, so I should be able to last for at least a few minutes." "But-" "I can at least buy you time to get Tatsumi out of here," he said, cutting Wave off, "And besides, you need to look after Kurome." At the mention of her name, Wave found that he felt incredibly guilty. He had rushed off and left her alone to help protect this city. Could he really justify dying here and leaving her to continue alone? _No_ he thought as he got up and slung one of Tatsumi's arms around his shoulders, _I can't do that to her_.

As Wave made his way to relative safety, Haru breathed a bit easier before walking between him and the oncoming Esdeath. She just kept walking calmly towards them, and that was both reassuring and disturbing. If she had decided to rush them when they had landed, she would have had them dead to rights. But the fact that she was so outwardly calm was also disturbing, since it meant she felt she would be able to win regardless of the shape they were in. Stopping about 3 yards from Haru, she glanced over his shoulder at the retreating men and scoffed.

"You should have just let that smaller one die," she commented, "I can tell how weak he is even from here." "He has more strength of character than most men I've met," Haru shot back, widening his stance and reaching back for one of his boosters. He hadn't told Wave this, but he would likely need both shots to really stand a chance. He already knew that one would knock him on his ass after it wore off, so two would probably be very bad for his health. However, against an opponent like Esdeath, it would be even worse for his health to hold back.

"That may be true," Esdeath replied, drawing her own blade before holding it at her side, "But that alone isn't enough to make you strong." "He just took out the Royal Imperial Arms," Haru pointed out, "I'm not sure you and I working together could have done that." "You underestimate yourself, as always," she said, "It's sad, really. You had such potential. You still do; come with me, Haru, and we'd never have to bow to anyone ever again." "I believe we already know where I stand on that, Esdeath," Haru said, bringing his sword up, "I'm not some animal bound by survival of the fittest. I'm a human being, and I would rather die than feed off my own kind."

"So, that's how you see me," she said, smiling softly, "Then I guess there's nothing else to say." Bringing her blade up, she readied her own stance before saying, "I guess the only thing left is to see which of us has the stronger resolve." Before Haru could respond, she charged him faster than he expected. Thankfully, his sword was already up, so he was able to block her first blow; although, he was only able to stop the blade. The force from the impact still sent him skidding almost a foot back, and it was a struggle to keep his footing as she leaned into the blade. "I thought you were stronger than this, Haru," she said, glaring at him, "I expected so much more."

"And you're going to get it!" Haru replied. Summoning the last of his strength, he forced her back far enough so that he could disengage. Leaping back to gain some distance, he brought out one of his last two shots, flipped the cap off and jabbed it into his thigh. The drug took effect almost instantly, and Haru felt rejuvenated as he charged her. "Zündung!" he cried, bringing his sword down on her. Esdeath, in turn, coated her sword in a white aura and brought it sweeping up to meet his own attack. When they collided, his fire exploded against a large wall of ice, the two elements battling for dominance. He was able to shatter the wall, but that was all the fire could do, leaving the rest to him.

Dashing through the falling shards, Haru started throwing a flurry of strikes at her. Moving as fast as he could, he sent slashes, stabs and even a few kicks as he worked to drive her back. At first, it seemed to work as she took a step back, then another. But she had adjusted to his furious assault by that point, and she was able to dodge, block and turn aside his strikes with ease after that. Taking a step back, he tried to come up with another plan before realizing he had given her the opening she needed.

Stepping forward, Esdeath began her counter attack as her sword danced. Ducking and weaving, it was all Haru could do to keep her sword away from him as he parried the blows. But after one particular strike, she spun her blade around his before flinging his arm up and away. This left his chest wide open, and she reached out with her hand in an attempt to end the battle then and there. In one quick motion, he reached down, grabbed his last knife, and brought the blade up just as she closed on him. The blade bit into her hand for a split second before her ice began to spread across it. Letting the now useless knife go, Haru leaped back as he brought his sword down, crying "Thýella!" as he sent a wave of fire out to crash into her.

Keeping her hand outstretched, Esdeath created another wall of ice for the fire to explode against. Two seconds later, she rose above that wall on an ice pillar before flicking her wrist and filling the air around her with razor sharp ice shards. With another gesture, she sent them sailing towards Haru. He only stood there for a split second before he was in motion, ducking and zig-zagging as he tried to dodge them all while slashing through the few that would actually hit him. Coming to a sudden stop, he then whirled around and sent another wave of fire out before dashing for Esdeath as she sent more ice at him.

At first, she didn't understand what he was trying to do; she was higher up than him, and she could keep sending her ice shards at him with impunity. But when his wave of fire crashed into the tower and shattered the lower sections, she smiled in understanding as she leaped for one of the larger pieces. Using his fire to boost up, Haru landed on another piece before jumping up towards her. Placing one hand on the ice below her, Esdeath whispered, "Grauhorn," and sent a spear of ice shooting out from beneath her. Thankfully for Haru, he had another mid-air stepping stone between him and that spike.

Placing one foot on it, Haru used another burst of flame to leap over the spike before reaching out and commanding, "Thýella!" Instead of one large fireball, Haru created a large amount of smaller ones, trying to copy her ice storm technique. Sending these fireballs out ahead of him, he boosted in her direction again as they began to fall. Leaping off of her own chunk of ice, Esdeath swatted aside the few fireballs that would have hit her before creating a throwing knife out of ice and hurling it at Haru. He deflected the blade, but it threw off his own charge and forced him to land.

They hit the ground at the same time and remained where they were, glaring at each other as they squared off again. "Now that's more like it," Esdeath said, cracking another smile, "This is as it should be; two souls battling in earnest to survive. Isn't it glorious?" "I think it's sad," Haru replied, trying to steady his breathing, "I don't want to fight you any more than I wanted to fight Bols. I saw it, that night I was in your room; there was a part of you that knew what you were doing, what you believed, was wrong. It was a part that was desperately crying out for help." Lowering his blade, Haru's gaze turned from confrontational to pity as he continued, "I'm truly sorry, Esdeath. I'm sorry that I didn't try to do more to save you from your own madness."

"And that's the reason you will never be one of the strong," she said, glaring at him in contempt, "You care too much for people you know nothing about. It's one thing to care about me, but you concern yourself with those that were born weak. You try to help those who don't have the strength to take what they want; you mingle with the weak and undeserving. That is something I will never understand, or ever do." Snapping her fingers, Esdeath began to form her greatest attack behind her. "If you're so determined to stand up for the weak, than show me the strength you've gained!" she commanded as the massive ball of ice flew over her head and at him.

With no other choice, Haru focused his flames into his hand, commanding, "Verbrennen." The golden fire lept to life, and he hurled it at the ball as he tried to dodge the shards that would be formed. Even though his attack was only a fraction of the size of that ice ball, when they hit the ball they lept to life and spread rapidly. The ice superheated within seconds, flash-melting into steam and building up serious pressure before causing the entire ball to explode into a shower of deadly shards. Neither Esdeath nor Haru were truly prepared for the shower of razor-sharp shards that flew out in all directions, and in spite of their best efforts they were both hit several times before they managed to move clear.

Checking the cuts on his arms, Haru was relieved to see that none of them were deep or serious. _At least I won't bleed out_ he thought as he looked up at Esdeath again. "So, that's your trump card," she said, smiling coldly, "I glad that I got to see it at least once." Bringing her hands before her, she formed a triangle before speaking. "All things shall freeze before me," she began, and in that instant Haru knew that something bad was coming. Reaching for his last booster, he pulled it out of the pouch and had just popped the lid off when she finished, "Makahadoma!"

Haru saw a brief flash, and then he was in the grip of her trump card. Frozen in time, he wasn't even aware of Esdeath approaching him to finish this. In one smooth stroke, she cut off the head of the syringe before bringing her blade back and burying it in his shoulder. As her trump card wore off, Haru suddenly saw Esdeath standing in front of him. He also felt a sharp pain and looked over to see that her sword was embedded in his flesh. "Goodbye, Haru," she said, her eyes almost sorrowful as she used her powers. Her ice spread from the blade across his shoulder and down his arm and chest. It moved faster than he could have hoped to react, and in an instant he was completely engulfed in it. _Akame…I'm…sorry…_ he thought as the cold took him.

Across the city, Akame had managed to meet up with Sheele and Lubbock. They had been working to move people out of harm's way as the giant blasted whole sections of the capital away. Now that it was dead, she had started to make her way to the upper districts, hoping to find Haru. She suddenly felt a stabbing pain in her chest, enough to rob her of breath and drive her to her knees. "Hey, you alright?" Lubbock asked, kneeling next to her and looking concerned. He had decided to go with her, mostly because he would be damned if he allowed something to happen to the girl his best friend loved. But now, looking at her as she clutched at her chest, it was almost like someone had ripped her heart from her. "Haru…" she muttered, tears coming to her eyes.

Back at their fight, Haru found that while he felt extremely cold, he was somehow still alive; at least, he was alive for the moment. He probably had a few seconds, at best, to figure out what it was keeping him alive and use it to break free. As Esdeath withdrew her blade, Haru felt his inner fire flare up. It was raging to be set loose, to burn this woman to cinders for daring to attack its vessel. And for once, Haru was inclined to agree.

Releasing his control over the weapon, he felt an immediate surge of heat that bordered on searing as the fire flared up like nothing he had ever felt before. Before Esdeath could turn and walk away, she noticed a glowing coming from the ice. Haru's body was emitting a soft light that was growing brighter by the moment. And then, in an instant, the ice around him shattered into a million tiny fragments. Stumbling a bit, he regained his footing before looking down at his hands, trying to figure out what the hell had just happened. He didn't feel tired; in fact, he felt really, _really_ good.

"So, this is the true form of your trump card," Esdeath mused, bringing her sword back up, "Then it appears we can continue." "No, Esdeath," Haru replied, getting a confused look from her, "We're going to end this, once and for all." Charging his blade, Haru used his new flames to boost himself at her faster than she thought possible. Esdeath was still able to block his blade from connecting with her side, but she wasn't prepared for the moment when his sword exploded into a shower of metal fragments. _He sacrificed his only weapon to land a blow_ she thought, stunned as several of the fragments hit home. Lashing out with her sword, she drove him back momentarily only to realize something. _No, he didn't sacrifice his only weapon; now he_ is _his weapon_.

Without speaking a word, Haru brought his hands up from his sides and summoned another storm of fireballs. This time, there were easily twice as many as his last attempt, and he sent them hurling at her without remorse. Sending a few ice shards to intercept some of them, Esdeath dodged the others with ease before realizing he had held a few back. At another gesture, these few balls whipped up into large twisters that then went corkscrewing through the air towards her at different angles. She managed to dodge the first two, but the third claimed her sword while the forth grazed her side. The last one she blocked with an ice wall, smirking as it exploded on contact and shattered the outer layers.

But Haru wasn't done yet. Her smirk turned into a look of shock when he appeared next to her, already too close to block as his fist came up and connected with her side. She felt a few ribs crack as she flew back from the blow, but Haru wasn't about to give her any room to breathe. Pursuing her, he sent a flurry of kicks and punches that Esdeath was hard-pressed to counter. She had to use her ice again and again to block several of the blows, and she was starting to grow irritated with the fact that he was pushing her back. Finally finding an opening, she lashed out with a punch of her own. If she could make contact again, she could freeze him to his core. Haru saw this coming, and countered with his own element-enhanced fist. Their attacks collided, and a dumbbell-shaped explosion of fire and ice resulted as their two elements fought for dominance.

Leaping free from the cloud simultaneously, they both sent a wave of projectiles at each other, trying to score a hit. His fireballs collided with her ice shards, and more explosions resulted as the ice flash-melted into steam. After landing, they took a moment to take stock of what they had left. Esdeath had taken more damage in this one battle than she had across her entire career, and while that was irritating, it also left her feeling more alive than she had in years. This was a true battle, a fight she was born, was made for. Here she was giving her all against someone that could actually stand as her equal, and in the end one of them would stand victorious. She felt a sense of completion that she hadn't ever thought possible, and she realized that this is what was at the core of her feelings for Haru.

With Haru, it was a rather different story. Whatever power up he had unlocked was starting to run out, he could feel it. It wasn't that his strength was getting progressively weaker; in fact, it felt like his attacks were growing in strength. But he could feel the fires within him starting to rage out of control. _If I don't finish this quickly, there won't be anything left_ he realized as he took his stance again. "I have to thank you, Haru," Esdeath said finally, smiling with genuine happiness, "I never thought I'd find someone that could actually stand as my equal. No matter how this ends, I want you to know that it was an honor to fight you." "I gotta say, the feeling's mutual," Haru replied, returning the smile, "I never thought I would achieve this kind of power. So, shall we end this?"

She nodded before creating a sword of pure ice and resuming her stance. Haru did the same, and for a few moments they just stood still, staring at each other in anticipation. Finally, they charged each other, and in an instant it was over. In less than a second, Haru brought his makeshift sword down and across, slicing through Esdeath's own blade before reaching out and placing his hand on her stomach. "Verbrennen," he commanded, looking her in the eye as he sent his golden fire into her. Rather than glare at him in anger, she smiled warmly as the flames consumed her. Not wanting her to suffer needlessly, he fed as much energy into them as he could stand. This accelerated their growth greatly, and in a few seconds she was reduced to ash on the wind.

Letting his weapon dissipate, Haru breathed easier. As luck would have it, Lubbock and Akame happened upon his battlefield right as he set Esdeath ablaze. Jogging over, Lubbock waved to get his attention, shouting, "Way to go, matchstick!" Looking over at them, he felt immense joy at seeing that they were both still alive. When they finally got to him, Lubbock stopped a few feet back while Akame kept going and embraced him. "We did it," she said, thankful beyond words that he was alright. "Yeah, we did," Haru replied, resting his forehead on hers. For a brief moment, everything seemed right with the world.

But then Akame realized that his voice sounded off. Taking a step back, she looked him in the eye and asked, "Haru, what's wrong?" "I can't hide anything from you, can I?" he replied, smiling, "I…may have gone too far, Akame." "What are you talking about?" Lubbock asked, confused, "You killed Esdeath. I mean, I get it; you felt bad for her. But you had to do it." "I know. That's not what I meant," he said before reaching back and unclipping his empty syringe pouch. "I had three of these left at the beginning of this fight," he explained, holding it up, "I used one to stabilize Tatsumi, and the second to give me a boost during the beginning of my fight with Esdeath. The third was…"

"Haru, you didn't," Akame said, stunned, "We need to get you to that doctor immediately. He'll know what to do." "That won't help me now," he said calmly, taking her hand, "I never used the third, it got destroyed in the battle." "Then how did…?" "I released my control," he said simply, "I let my fire run loose within me. It gave me the strength I needed to win, to keep you, the baby, and everyone safe. But…" Looking down, he took a moment to collect himself before he continued.

"The fight went on too long, Akame," he said, "I let it go for too long, and now I couldn't stop it if I wanted to." "Haru, no," she said, taking his head in her hands, "You're going to be fine. You promised me we'd get through this, remember?" "I know I did," he said, cupping her face with one hand, "And I'm so sorry, Akame." Before she could continue to protest, he leaned in and kissed her, trying to convey all of his feelings, his love, into that one moment. It seemed to go on forever, and Akame found that she desperately wanted that to be true.

But then the moment was over, and he released her before taking a few steps back. "Haru…" she pleaded, tears coming to her eyes. "I love you, Akame," Haru said with all of the conviction he had, "Always remember that; I love you."

As he spoke those words the last of his control finally failed, and his Imperial Arms did what it did best; it burned. Golden fire lept from his chest before spreading out to his limbs, engulfing Haru in seconds just like it had done to Esdeath. But it didn't stop their; finally released from its confinement, the pent up energies caused it to whip into a large tornado. Before Akame could try and leap into it to save Haru, Lubbock was at her side with his arms around her waist. "Haru, no!" she cried, her eyes streaming with tears as she collapsed to the ground. Even Lubbock found himself crying as he watched his best friend die. But Akame wasn't just crying; she wept openly, clutching at the ground as she felt a part of herself die. _He's gone_ her mind kept repeating, _he's gone._

Almost a week later, as the sun was setting, Night Raid had gathered at a small hill outside the city walls along with a large group of the surviving rebels. Their victory had been a close one, closer than they were prepared to admit. While the Emperor had been wielding his Imperial Arms, Onest had taken the chance to try to escape through a secret tunnel he had had made years ago. But, it just so happened that Chelsea had hooked up with Leone while searching for the man, and they had discovered the entrance to the tunnel shortly before he had used it. After taking on another soldier disguise, Chelsea had moved down the tunnel before taking up a position to wait for the man to arrive. When he did, he hadn't stood a chance. Between her illusion and Leone's brute strength, they had dispatched the man in short order in spite of his attempt at using another Imperial Arms to stop them.

They had won, but the cost of victory had been severe. The commanders had decided to take several larger sections of the destroyed wall and move them up to that hill. After re-cutting the stone, they had etched the names of the fallen into them; a memorial to all of the members of the Revolution that had given their lives since its beginning. On one particular slab rested the names of the three Night Raid members that had died; Bulat, Susanoo, and Haru. Standing before this slab, the surviving members felt a real sense of grief they hadn't known before. Back when there had still been a revolution to plan, they had been too busy working to survive to grieve for their friends.

But now that it was all over, the walls came down and they were forced to face the truth; their friends were gone. Numerous bouquets and wreaths had been placed at the base of the stones in memory of those fallen. They had been left by friends, comrades, family and lovers, and there wasn't a single person on that hill that didn't feel the weight of so much loss. Walking up to the stone, Akame knelt before placing a special bouquet at its base. It was a collection of flowers that grew around their former hideout, tied with something that Akame had found in their room back at the bookstore. Haru had left his blindfold behind, knowing that, one way or another, he wouldn't need it again. She had decided that it would be a good gesture to use it for the flowers; she wouldn't need it to remember him, she had all of the memories they had made, as well as a child on the way. Placing her hand on the stone next to his name, she whispered, "Goodbye, Haru."

 **-1 year later-**

Walking down the old forest path, a familiar woman with black hair hummed to herself as she clutched a small bag of produce. She had gotten a good trade for the animals she had caught the previous day. Her bag was filled with carrots, onions, potatoes and several other vegetables she didn't know the names of but enjoyed none the less. Of course, a few people had made the connection between her appearance and an old, outstanding wanted poster still pinned to one of the bulletin boards. But she wasn't too worried about someone following her to try and collect the bounty; a few people had tried a week ago, and their corpses had made an interesting meal for the local Danger Beasts.

Making her way into the main clearing, she looked up at the former headquarters for Night Raid. Originally, they were going to clear the base out and destroy it after the revolution. They hadn't wanted to provide such a perfect hideout for bandits after all. But she had convinced them to leave it as it was, and that she would take care of it and make sure no criminals claimed it. While it was a rather lonely existence, it was one that she found she preferred. And as usual, this line of thought made her wonder how her friends were doing now.

Lubbock had opened a small chain of bookstores, and he had finally worked up the nerve to ask the now Commander-in-Chief Najenda out on a date. Everyone, including her, wondered just how long it would take for those two to finally pull the trigger. Mine had decided to return with Tatsumi to his village to make sure it was safe and well. Where they were now was anyone's guess, although she could imagine they were off on some grand adventure. Leone had, surprisingly, made good friends with one of the last Jaegers. She had decided to help him rebuild his old school, and was apparently adored by the students that attended.

Chelsea had followed Najenda and had become one of her best spies and information collectors, while Sheele had decided to return to Garrick's clinic to help the old man with his work. Kurome had, after suffering through a serious case of withdrawal, gone with Wave back to his hometown. Now that she was free of the former Empire's control, she was completely head-over-heals in love with Wave, although he still seemed hesitant with the whole idea.

And where did that leave her? As she looked up at the face of the one place that had ever felt like home, Akame felt an almost too familiar gloom coming over her. She was here, still nursing a broken heart while she struggled to continue with her life. She knew that's what he would have wanted, and because of that she continued to move forward. Well, that wasn't the only reason. As she walked into the main hall and set the bag down on the table, she heard crying coming from the next room. Walking in, she smiled warmly as she made her way over to the crib in the corner of the bedroom. Reaching in, she picked up bundle of blankets; her baby, her son.

"Hush now," she said, rocking him slightly as she tried to calm him down, "Did someone have a bad dream?" After a few moments, he calmed down and looked up at her with wide eyes. They were striking; a dark green with flecks of red. His tuff of hair, still a mess from his nightmare, looked black until you saw it in a particular light. Then, it would show its deep red, and it made her love him all the more. This was her son, and for his sake she would devote everything to make sure that he would grow up happy in this peace his father had helped to give them all. "Alright then, how about you help mom fix up some dinner?" she asked as she walked back into the main hall, "You be a good little helper, and I'll tell you a story. How does that sound, Haru?"


	28. Alternate

"Haru, no," Akame said, taking his head in her hands, "You're going to be fine. You promised me we'd get through this, remember?" "I know I did," he said, cupping her face with one hand, "And I'm so sorry, Akame." Before she could continue to protest, he leaned in and kissed her, trying to convey all of his feelings, his love, into that one moment. He so desperately wanted to stay with her, to live the rest of his life together with her and their child.

But he felt the flames raging within, and knew that his time was limited. Releasing her from the kiss, he stepped back so she wouldn't be harmed by what was about to happen. "I love you, Akame," Haru said, trying to reassure her one last time as he felt the flames breaking free. Closing his eyes, he prepared himself for the end as they began to engulf him. _This is it; this is how I die_ he thought as the heat grew more intense.

And yet, in spite of this there was a part of his mind that was frantically searching for something, _anything_ , that could get him through this alive. _There's nothing I can do_ he thought, trying to convince himself, _there's already too much power built up. Then what if it was put to work_ that persistent voice suggested, and it was like a slap to the face. In the second that it took him to reconcile this internal struggle, the fire had practically broken free from his control. But if he could channel it, exhaust it on something, then maybe, just maybe, he could regain control.

Figuring he had nothing else to lose, Haru let the fire loose around him, forming it into a raging twister that reached meters into the sky. He poured all of the energy that he had bottled up into it, only holding onto a sliver of the fire that he let loose. The heat was intense, more intense than anything he had ever felt in training or a fight, and it was leagues above what he had endured to bind with this weapon. It was enough to drive him to his knees, and he could tell that the slightest slip in his concentration would result in this fire consuming him.

But as painful as it was, he could feel the volatile energy flowing out of him and feeding into the fire. _I made a promise_ he told himself, gritting his teeth against the pain, _and I'll be damned if I break that promise now._ That single thought gave him the strength he needed, and after a while he felt the heat starting to subside. But rather than letting his guard drop at this sensation, Haru kept his body tense as he continued to poor energy into the fires around him. It was exhausting, and he felt himself balancing on the edge of unconsciousness as the last of the power left him.

Outside the twister, Akame was on her knees, her hands braced on the ground as she wept. Lubbock was at her side, one hand around her shoulders in comfort while he tried to control his own tears. They had just watched Haru go up in flames, and assumed he had died. As the tornado began to die down, Lubbock looked up in disinterest only to stiffen suddenly. Shaking Akame to get her attention, he whispered, "Look." But she didn't want to look. If she didn't look, then she could go on with the slim hope that Haru hadn't just let himself die. But if she looked up and he was gone, then she wouldn't be able to lie to herself about it, and she wasn't sure that she could take that.

But after Lubbock gave her another shake, she grudgingly looked up to see what had gotten his attention. The shimmer from the intense heat the fires had created was still around, and her tears didn't do her vision any good. She could have sworn she saw someone kneeling where Haru had stood, but the figure was blurred. Blinking a few times to clear her eyes, she inhaled sharply as she saw Haru on his knees, looking absolutely exhausted. "H-Haru?" she managed, trying to figure out if she was dreaming or not. Looking up at the sound of her voice, it took him a moment to figure out exactly where she was. He was close to passing out, and his vision was starting to tunnel. Finally, smiling, he managed, "I guess…I'm tougher than I give myself credit for."

And with that, he was out, slumping to the side without another sound. Lubbock and Akame were at his side in seconds. Akame quickly checked him for a pulse and found one. Unsatisfied with that, she brought her ear down to his chest. Sure enough, she could hear a heartbeat, and it was enough to bring her to tears again. But these weren't tears of sorrow; she was crying out of relief. He was alive. "He's still alive," she murmured, laying her head on his chest. Lubbock had heard what she had said, and he sat back and heaved a sigh in relief before chuckling to himself. "Damn, he is one stubborn bastard, isn't he?" he asked, smiling at Akame. She returned it as she wrapped her arms around Haru's shoulders, happy beyond words that he was still alive.

After a few minutes of basking in feelings of relief, they each took an arm and picked Haru up before heading towards the south gate. There were still several skirmishes in the city between the rebels and a few groups of loyalist soldiers, and the idea of one of those groups happening across them didn't appeal to either of them. After making their way through the ruined buildings, they finally got onto an undamaged street. This made the walk much easier, and they managed to go a few blocks before Haru began to stir. Moving to one side of the street, Lubbock helped sit him down against the wall before moving on, saying he was going to get them some more help.

Akame nodded absently, her attention entirely focused on Haru. His eyes fluttered a few times before he finally found his way back to the land of the conscious, and he blinked a few times to clear his vision before he found himself looking Akame squarely in the eye. "Am…am I…?" he asked, reaching up to touch her. Smiling, she took his hand and pressed it against her cheek. "Yes, you are," she replied, "Welcome back, Haru." Before he could come up with some smart remark, she leaned in and kissed him, wrapping her arms around his shoulders to pull herself closer. He was surprised at first, but then he embraced her in return as his mind finally caught up. He had done it, he had lived.

Almost ten minutes later, Lubbock returned with Leone and Chelsea in tow. They were both beaming, and Leone couldn't help but brag at taking down Onest. She seemed genuinely pleased with herself, and while Haru felt happy that it was finally over, he was more tired than anything. "Alright, we should probably find Najenda and report in," he said as he pushed himself back up. With Akame's help, he managed to find his footing again, and they made their way south.

The rebels had commandeered several buildings as they moved in through the south gate, and the five Night Raid members found themselves sitting in the common room of an inn after checking in with one of the captains. The wall had a large hole where the window used to be, but other than that the interior was in relatively good condition. Dropping onto one of the couches, Haru tried to stifle a yawn as his exhaustion threatened to overwhelm him. Sitting down next to him, Akame took one of his hands as she tried to fully come to grips with what had happened. Squeezing his hand and feeling the warmth, she tried to convince herself that this was real, that he was still alive.

"I'm still here," he said suddenly, as if he had read her mind. Giving her a quick tug, he pulled her closer before putting one arm around her shoulders. While it was a little startling at first, she quickly relaxed and leaned into him as he leaned back and closed his eyes. Resting her head on his shoulder, she realized for the first time just how tired she was from the day's events. In a few moments, she was asleep. Looking over at her, Haru found himself marveling at her beauty, and he wondered just why he had been so prepared to die back there. The thought of leaving her behind hurt worse than all of the physical pain he had lived through. Feeling his exhaustion returning, he leaned into Akame and let sleep take him.

The next few days were spent recovering from injuries, flushing the few groups of loyalist soldiers out and helping to rebuild the important structures that had been damaged. Haru and Sheele ended up getting drafted into Garrick's clinic to help with the flood of wounded people, both soldiers and civilians. When he asked the old man why he had been chosen, Garrick had responded with, "Consider it a down payment on your tab. Now stop complaining and grab my tools, we got another gunshot wound." While Haru got to work with the doctor to patch people up, Sheele was in the recovery wing making sure they were all comfortable and well cared for. It wasn't really that bad, and since Haru was still feeling the exhaustion from his fight he welcomed the relatively decent pace.

Meanwhile, Akame was up on the palace grounds with Lubbock, Leone and Chelsea. They were searching the area for any other hidden tunnels or rooms. It went fine for a while; right up until Akame noticed that Lubbock kept stealing glances at her. Then she started to feel nervous as she remembered the conversation she and Haru had when they thought he was going to die. Finally, he decided to walk over and talk with her. Akame was in what remained of the throne room at the moment, examining one of the anti-chambers and unaware of his approach. "So, a baby, huh?" he said, causing her to jump slightly. Turning slowly, she tried to keep her face impassive as she replied, "What do you mean?"

"Don't try to bullshit me, Akame," Lubbock replied, crossing his arms and smirking, "I already asked Haru the other day. So, you have a kid already?" Looking down, she tried not to sound too embarrassed when she replied, "Yes." When she heard chuckling, she looked up at Lubbock and realized something. "You didn't talk to Haru, did you?" she asked, her face growing slightly red. He just shook his head, unable to respond as he continued to laugh. Punching his arm, she waited for him to run out of laughter before turning around to continue her search.

"Congratulations," he said, walking up behind her and placing a hand on her shoulder. "Thank you," she replied, smiling at him. "So, decided on a name yet?" he asked as he moved to help search the room, "Lubber is a pretty good name, you know." "We're not naming it after you," she said, smirking at him as they worked. "You're not naming who after who?" Chelsea asked, startling them both as she and Leone joined them. Before Akame could reply, Leone beat her to it. "Oh yeah, she and the matchstick are having a kid," she said, smiling sweetly while Akame's face got darker. Needless to say, there was a lot of girl talk afterword, which forced them to send Lubbock off into another part of the building.

A week later, they were all gathered on the hill before the memorial the Revolution had built for their fallen. Even Tatsumi had dragged himself out of bed to pay his respects, after swearing up and down to Mine that he wouldn't over-exert himself. They stood next to each other, and after a while Mine subtly took his hand for comfort as she read the names of the fallen. She had known some of these soldiers from the few times she had visited Revolution camps, and it was heartbreaking to see their names up on the wall.

Haru, meanwhile, was standing before another section of the wall and trying to keep his own emotions in check. He couldn't stop staring at one name on one of the latter sections of the wall, and he kept cursing himself for letting her go off alone. June had taken the wrong street at the wrong time and had gotten caught in the blast wave from one of the Giant Imperial Arm's attacks. The debris from the collapsing buildings had killed her instantly, and Haru found at least some comfort in the knowledge that she hadn't suffered. But it still hurt to see her on the wall, and he clenched his hands as he tried to keep himself from crying. They might not have been involved anymore, but they had still been close.

Taking one of his hands in hers, Akame stood next to him and looked at her name as well. She regretted never getting to meet the woman, and it pained her to see Haru so torn up. "It was worth it, right?" he whispered so only they would hear, "This new nation we're building; it was worth these lives, right?" Akame could tell that he wasn't really talking to her; he was pleading with some unseen force, hoping that all of this pain would be worth something in the end. The part of her that remained the professional assassin argued that in the end none of this would truly be worth it, that people would still continue to hurt each other for years to come. But another part of her chose to believe in hope, and it was that part that won out. "Yes, Haru," she said, looking at him and smiling sadly, "It is worth it, because we're going to _make it_ worth it." Returning the smile, Haru took strength from that as they stood there and mourned.

 **-5 years later-**

Stepping back from the furnace, Haru wiped the sweat from his brow as he beamed in triumph. He had finally managed to get the fire inside hot enough to work with the steel he had bought a few days ago, and he hadn't needed to use his Imperial Arms to do it. _Now, I just need to work out the makeup of the blade_ he thought as he turned to the table with the various ingots and ore chunks laid out on it. It had been two years since he had put together his smithy, and he had spent most of that first year just learning the materials and tools he needed as well as how to use them properly. Picking up a chunk of dark ore with a few specks of white crystal in it, he wondered if he wanted brute strength or flexibility.

Before he could come to a decision, a small missile slammed into his left leg and almost knocked him off his feet. "Papa, we're back!" a small voice said. Placing the ore back on the table, Haru leaned down and placed a hand on the little girl's head. "Well, I can see that," he replied, chuckling, "Did you give your mother the slip again, Alina?" She just smiled sweetly as she shook her head, clearly lying. She had hair and eyes like Akame, although she seemed to have inherited Haru's more mischievous side. As if to prove Haru's suspicions, Akame walked in through the front entrance with a bag in one hand and wrapped meat in the other.

"Alina, you little trouble-maker," she said, trying to sound mad, "Next time you run off, you're going to get it." Her face scrunched up slightly, assuming that Akame was being sincere. Haru just ruffled her hair before kissing her forehead. "Don't listen to her. She just worries when you take off on your own," he told her, "We both do." "But there are so many neat places to explore!" Alina protested, "I can take care of myself." "I'm sure you can," Haru said. Then in one quick move he picked her up, getting an excited "eek!" out of her. "But we're your parents, so we're going to worry regardless," he continued before walking over to Akame, "You want any help with those?"

"I managed the whole way back, I can handle a few more feet," she said before leaning in and kissing Alina's cheek. Opening the door to the house, Haru led the way into the kitchen before putting Alina down to help Akame put the food up. He smiled when he saw that she had bought yet another large steak for them. "I hope she doesn't inherit your carnivorous taste," he teased as he put the meat away in an ice chest. Seeing the hunk of flesh, Alina's eyes lit up, and she nearly began to drool. "Too late now," Akame commented, laughing softly when Haru heaved a sigh.

But even with all of his grumbling, Haru was happy with his life. As he helped Akame prepare dinner, Alina pulled herself up onto the table behind them before sitting on the edge with her legs swinging. "Hey, Papa, when's the cat lady coming back?" she asked, causing both Haru and Akame to laugh. The first time Leone had changed for Alina she had been three, and the nickname 'cat lady' had stuck ever since. She passed through the town they lived in rather regularly while she helped Run with his school. He was always in need of materials to help build and expand the place, and Leone was more than happy to help him with it. "Well, let's see," Haru said, "She needs a fresh set of nails, since the last batch she bought was from some shifty merchant, so she'll probably be visiting us in the next few days."

"You sound so sure of yourself," Akame commented, "Even though you just figured out how to light that fire without cheating." "Hey, I do my best work with my own fire, thank you very much!" Haru replied, giving her a light shove. She just laughed softly as she set a pot of water to boil. "Papa, will you tell me a story?" Alina asked, her eyes growing wide and hopeful. "I'm not sure I have any good ones left," Haru replied as he walked over and pulled up a chair next to her. The moment he sat down she dropped off the table into his lap. "Can you tell me a story about your old job?" she asked, her eyes pleading with him. He and Akame had, naturally, told Alina what they had done previously when she had been old enough to understand. Although, they had taken care to water down the details so they wouldn't frighten her too much. "How about I tell you about the time Tatsumi and I took out a giant?" Haru suggested, getting an enthusiastic nod from her.

He then proceeded to tell her about the final battle for the capital, with Akame glancing at them occasionally. She was glad beyond words that he was still here, and she found that this was one of the moments she would cherish for the rest of her life; the image of her and Haru together with their daughter, in a home as a family.

Author's Note – This is what I get for completing chapter 27 three days before I posted it. I sat on it, and other ideas began to surface. I couldn't get them out of my head, so I decided to forge them into an alternate ending. I would also like to take this time to thank all of you who read, reviewed and followed this story. You guys are all amazing.


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